


As Dark Comes the Night: The Codex

by gadaursan



Series: I As Future Kings [2]
Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Codex Entries, Diary/Journal, Family History, Multi, Politics, aka a fanmade history book for Fates
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-27
Updated: 2018-01-11
Packaged: 2018-07-25 14:31:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 33
Words: 118,735
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7536472
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gadaursan/pseuds/gadaursan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A Brief history of Nohr and Hoshido as well as discussion pieces for "As Dark Comes the Night".</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Introductions & Table of Contents

**Author's Note:**

> Now that I decided to write "As Dark Comes the Night" here on Ao3, I might as well slowly make a local archive of a lot of the stuff from the Tumblr blog, like the bios and stuff. The timelines, scripts, comics, and plot progression entries will still be in the original story. All the bios, world building, diary entries, and personal commentary will be kept here in a separate work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Most of the lore which has been transferred from Tumblr will be compiled here for safekeeping. In-game, it would be part of an expanded Library in the Records Hall.

♫ [Watery Music Box](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wamBZRCveZw) \- Fire Emblem Fates

# Table of Contents

### Tidings

 A collection of summaries of each chapter for easy digest.

  * [Before Fates: A Timeline](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7536472/chapters/30350265)
  * Prologue (Chapter 0 -6)
  * I: Darkness Embraced (Chapter 1- 8)
  * II: Army Building (Chapter 9-12)
  * III: Chevois Rebellion (Chapter 13)
  * IV:  Yukimura's Offensive (Chapter V.O.)
  * V: Life From Death (Chapter 14, 15)
  * VI: The Race for Hoshido (Chapter 16 - 25)
  * VII: Sons and Daughters of Valla (Chapter 26+)
  * DLC



### Main Cast (Q&A)

  * [Anri (Corrin) Q&A](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7536472/chapters/26601351)
  * [Main Storyline Q&A: Part 1](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7536472/chapters/26601825)
  * [Main Storyline Q&A: Part 2](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7536472/chapters/30349911)
  * Main Storyline Q&A: Part 3



### The Kingdom of Nohr

  * [The Memorandum of N](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7536472/chapters/17349124)
  * [Organized Crime on the Border](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7536472/chapters/20511724)
  * [Constellations of Nohr](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7536472/chapters/20511724)
  * [Nohrian Nobility Q&A](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7536472/chapters/26604009)
  * [Brynhildr & Siegbert by Lucanus of Lorenzen](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7536472/chapters/29668137)
  * [The Effect of History and Religion on Nohrian Attitudes](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7536472/chapters/30349911#q6)



### House Lorenzen

  * ["Glory favors the strong."](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7536472/chapters/17279236#BLorenzen)
  * [Diantha, First Princess of Nohr](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7536472/chapters/17286481#BDiantha)
  * [Marius, Second Prince of Nohr](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7536472/chapters/17286481#BMarius)
  * [Jeremiah, Third Prince of Nohr](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7536472/chapters/17286481#BJerry)
  * [Damian, Fourth Prince of Nohr](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7536472/chapters/17286481#BDamian)
  * [Roswitha, Second Princess of Nohr](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7536472/chapters/17286481#BRose)
  * [Thomas, Fifth Prince of Nohr](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7536472/chapters/17286481#BThomas)
  * [Liselotte, Fourth Princess of Nohr](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7536472/chapters/17286481#BLiselotte)
  * [Mila/Emil, 6th Prince(ss) of Nohr](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7536472/chapters/22045358) (see Lady Danica)
  * [Sibling Relationship Map](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7536472/chapters/17998843)
  * Dead Royals Q&A ([Part 1](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7536472/chapters/17346334), [Part 2](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7536472/chapters/17396881), [Part 3](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7536472/chapters/26608854), [Part 4](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7536472/chapters/26608809), [Part 5](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7536472/chapters/26614467))
  * Consorts and Garon Q&A ([Part 1](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7536472/chapters/20487244), [Part 2](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7536472/chapters/26614314))



### House Albrand

  * ["From fire, courage"](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7536472/chapters/17279236#BAlbrand)
  * [Consort Katerina of Albrand: The Second Vasco](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7536472/chapters/22045358#katerina)
  * Augustine of Albrand
  * [Lockie of Albrand](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7536472/chapters/24487788#lockiefaye)
  * [Lady Faye](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7536472/chapters/24487788#lockiefaye)



### House Buelen

  * ["Forwards, Ever forwards"](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7536472/chapters/17279236#BBuelen)
  * [Consort Irma of Buelen: The Arrow That Ignited a War](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7536472/chapters/22045358#irma)
  * [Consort Annaliese of Buelen: Death in Life](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7536472/chapters/22045358#annaliese)
  * [Consort Marianne: A Woman of Progress](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7536472/chapters/22045358#Marianne)
  * Horatio of Buelen



### House Durand

  * ["We were, we are, we will be"](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7536472/chapters/17279236#BDurand)
  * [Consort Theresa of Durand: The Witch of Fallmount](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7536472/chapters/22045358#theresa)
  * [Consort Gabrielle: Champion of Fallmount](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7536472/chapters/22045358#gabrielle)
  * [Consort Danica: The Forgotten Princess](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7536472/chapters/22045358#danica)
  * The Massacre of Durand



### House Lovell

  * ["Justice binds us"](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7536472/chapters/17279236#BLovell)
  * [Marquess Claudia](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7536472/chapters/24487788#claudia)
  * [Sir Dennis](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7536472/chapters/24487788#julesdennis)



### House Minett

  * ["Now you see us"](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7536472/chapters/17279236#BMinett)
  * [Cornelia of Minett](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7536472/chapters/24487788#nellysloane)
  * [Consort Seraphina: Vengeance and Ambition](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7536472/chapters/22045358#seraphina)
  * [Consort Leila of Lorenzen: Beauty of the Desert](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7536472/chapters/22045358#leila)
  * [Consort Yvonne of Lorenzen: Youth and Peace](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7536472/chapters/22045358#yvonne)



### House Ragnar

  * ["Now our enemies rest"](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7536472/chapters/17279236#BRagnar)
  * [Sloane of Ragnar](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7536472/chapters/24487788#nellysloane)



### The Kingdom of Valla

  * [Dragon’s Blood](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7536472/chapters/17395897)
  * [The Order of Anankos](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7536472/chapters/17395897#valla2)
  * [The End of an Age](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7536472/chapters/17395897#valla3)
  * [The Fire Emblem](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7536472/chapters/17395897#valla4)
  * [The Dragonstone](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7536472/chapters/17395897#valla5)
  * The Fall of Valla
  * Chase to the Surface
  * [Guide to Necromancy](https://archiveofourown.org/works/7536472/chapters/27938412)



### The Kingdom of Hoshido

  * Yamato Clan
  * Amachi Clan
  * Inazuma Clan
  * Chiura Clan
  * Hiromi Clan
  * Ishiyama Clan
  * Morihei Clan
  * Yasunori Clan
  * Mokushu Clan
  * Kohga Clan
  * Ninjas (Ishitani and Hattori)
  * [Hoshido Q&A Part 1](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7536472/chapters/26614506)



### Others

  * [Ask the Author](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7536472/chapters/26612946)
  * [Awakening and Future Kids Q&A](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7536472/chapters/26613741)
  * [QD #01: Maids and Butlers](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7536472/chapters/19378477)
  * [QD #02: Dragons](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7536472/chapters/19378510)
  * [QD: A Little Roster Change](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7536472/chapters/19378708)




	2. Before Fates: A Timeline

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A timeline of events prior to the events of the game

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CLARIFICATION ON THE TIMELINE NUMBERS: These numbers were extracted from the timeline software I used to map out the events of the story. So, some simple math is required to understand the placement of years. Each number is presented as negative to indicate how old an event is before the beginning of the game. Each year is presented with an extra 0, so you must move the decimal to the left once and get that actual year. For example, "-300" means "30 years before Fates starts".

**Recap of past events**

  * Prince Garon was born to King Rembrandt and Calanthe of Lovell. His older brother Hugo was born to the king and Ginevra of Durand
  * Oswald of Lorenzen attempted to usurp the throne by killing his brother, the king, and the two consorts
  * Katerina of Albrand takes control of her mentor Vasco's spy network and becomes the Crown Spymaster
  * King Hugo dies by Oswald's hand several years later
  * House Albrand suffered a divide between those in support for Oswald, and those in support of Garon
  * Garon kills his uncle Oswald and becomes the King of Nohr



**-300**

  * Katerina of Albrand marries King Garon first, winning against Verena of Gehring and Theresa of Durand
  * House Lovell is in dire straits after a major skirmish with Hoshidans



**-290**

  * Prince Xander is born to Katerina of Albrand and King Garon



**-280**

  * Prince Marius and Princess Diantha are born to Katerina of Albrand and King Garon
  * Prince Ryoma is born to Ikona and King Sumeragi
  * Katerina of Albrand passesa way shortly after the twins' birth
  * Garon grieves and takes comfort in his other consorts, establishing a harem
    * Initially started with Annaliese and Irma of Buelen, Theresa of Durand
    * Leila is added to the harem months later



**-270**

  * Lady Danica is brought forth to the court as a gift
  * Prince Jeremiah is born to Annaliese of Buelen and King Garon
  * Prince Damian is born to Lady Leila and King Garon
  * On a trip to Nestra, King Garon meets Seraphina, the local opera singer and Camilla's future mother



**-260**

  * Prince Thomas is born to Theresa of Durand and King Garon
  * Magdalena is taken from service to the Durands and becomes a maid in Krakenburg
  * Lady Seraphina is welcomed to the court as a consort



**-250**

  * Princess Roswitha is born to Irma of Buelen and King Garon



**-240**

  * Princess Camilla is born to Seraphina of Buelen and King Garon
  * Saverio of Durand's reign of terror begins



**-230**

  * Princess Hinoka is born to Ikona and King Sumeragi
  * Liselotte is born to Theresa of Durand and King Garon
  * Seraphina establishes the Minett Family and secures the territory of Janholt



**-220**

  * An attempt is made on the twins' lives
  * To protect the twins and Xander, they are sent to live on the Albrand estate



**-210**

  * Valla falls, and Arete and Eirene (Mikoto) flee from its destruction
  * Princess Azura is born to Queen Arete and Hesiod



**-200**

  * The twins and Xander return to Windmire
  * Arete and Marianne joins the royal harem
  * Mila (Emil) is born to Lady Danica and King Garon
  * Annaliese falls mysteriously ill and loses standing in the harem
  * Irma takes Roswitha and Jeremiah away from Windmire back to Morbank



**-190**

  * Anri (Corrin) is born to Mikoto and King Sumeragi



**-180**

  * King Garon marries Arete
  * Prince Takumi is born to Ikona and King Sumeragi
  * Lady Leila is accused of the murder of Barnaby's wife, exiled
  * Lady Leila is assassinated on orders of Theresa of Durand
  * Theresa of Durand attempts to sell Prince Damian into slavery, but is thwarted by Seraphina of Minett
  * Prince Damian is placed under the care of Seraphina of Minett



**-170**

  * Prince Leo is born to Lady Marianne and King Garon
  * Young Princess Mila is found strangled in her cradle
  * Jeremiah begins study at the mages' temple



**-160**

  * Verena claims that Karolina is a daughter of King Garon
  * Karolina of Gehring throws herself out the window after failing to kill Princess Camilla
  * Verena of Gehring is assassinated



**-150**

  * Lady Danica is executed for attempting to murder Princess Camilla and Seraphina of Minett
  * Roswitha returns to Windmire and rejoins with the royal family



**-140**

  * Princess Sakura is born to Ikona and King Sumeragi
  * Ikona is shot out of the sky by Irma of Buelen's arrow, instigating further aggression
  * King Sumeragi marries Mikoto, and Anri is made official in the Hoshidan Royal Family
  * Arete is killed by ???
  * A minor skirmish between Nohr and Hoshido occurs on the borders
  * Yvonne joins the harem
  * Xander, Diantha, and Marius gain their first retainers
  * Xander and Marius drive Hoshidans out of east Esterlyn
  * Xander nearly dies from Theresa's attempt to murder him by Magdalena
  * Seraphina strikes a deal with Magdalena to betray her half-sister and save her sister



**-130**

  * Garon and Sumeragi (accompanied by Mikoto and Anri) meet in Cheve to agree ot a treaty to end the war in -140
  * King Sumeragi is killed by King Garon in Cheve
  * Company Etoile report suspicion of foul play to House Durand
  * Prince Marius is slain in battle, increasing aggression between Nohr and Hoshido
  * Anri is taken away from his parents and sent to live in Arlcliff
  * Azura is taken away from Krakenburg and sent to live in Shirasagi
  * The Massacre of Durand is carried out by the Albrands and Minetts
    * Prince Thomas and Princess Liselotte are slain by Prince Damian and Princess Camilla
    * Theresa of Durand is slain by Prince Damian
    * Lady Magdalena and Lady Gabrielle were also casualties
    * Company Etoile is eliminated entirely, along with other knight companies



**-120**

  * The secret alliance between Mokushu and Nohr is formed
  * Kohga is wiped off the map, leaving Shura destitute.
  * Elise is born to Yvonne and King Garon
  * Annaliese of Buelen finally succumbs to illness and passes away
  * Hinoka begins training as a Sky Knight, meets Tsuabki
  * Azura commences training to become a Vallite priestess under Mikoto's instruction



**-110**

  * Princess Diantha goes missing
  * Zhara leaves the castle, resigning from his position as retainer to Diantha
  * Hans is arrested by Prince Xander
  * Gunther discovers Anri in the lower parts of Arlcliff, and requests help from the royal family
  * Irma of Buelen is killed by Reina
  * Upon Irma and Annaliese's deaths, Horatio of Buelen comes clean to Xander about Marius's murder and resigns from the Nohrian army
  * Silas arrives at Arlcliff as a page, and meets Anri



**-100**

  * Roswitha assists in the acquisitioning of Ice tribal lands and kills Flora's mother and Felicia
  * Flora is sent to work as Anri's maid in Arlcliff
  * Faye and Lockie of Albrand, Xander's first two retainers, fall in battle
  * Silas is banished from Arlcliff and is sent back to Esterlyn
  * The new queen Mikoto secures an agreement to a three year armistice between the two nations and enforces the armistice with a barrier of calming mist from the capital to the walls of Fort Jinya.



**-90**

  * The Awakening trio arrive in Nestra
  * The smuggling ring run by the Buelens and Pohls are uncovered
  * The Pohls are killed by Saizou (refer to Saizou-Beruka support)



**-80**

  * Roswitha is killed by a misguided axe on a hunting trip
  * The Awakening kids are employed by Aurele of Minett



**-70**

  * Odin begins education at the mage's temple
  * Jeremiah loses to Leo in a mage's duel and is promptly executed on the king's orders
  * Leo cuts off his ties to his mother
  * Horatio retires from his job as Leo's mentor and retreats to Morbank for good



**-60**

  * The armistice ends, and fighting resumes again.
  * The Awakening kids pay homage as retainers to the royal family
  * Prince Damian marries Cornelia of Minett



**-50**

  * Damian perishes in battle after a duel with Princess Hinoka, his decapitated head sent back as proof
  * Nohr is forced to abandon their holdings in Hoshidan territory, effectively losing the war



**-40**

  * The widowed Cornelia of Minett marries Sloane of Ragnar and moves north



**-30**

  * Beruka attempts to kill Princess Camilla, ends up her retainer instead
  * Seraphina dies from terminal illness from working with dark magic too much



**-20**

  * Lady Marianne retires from court life and doesn't take Leo with her, steals the Memorandum of N
  * Niles is caught breaking into Castle Krakenburg and is forced to pay homage as Leo's retainer



**-10**

  * Lady Yvonne passes away from illness, calling out only for her king
  * Azura completes her training and takes the priestess's oath




	3. Tidings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A brief collection of summaries of each chapter, for easy digest for readers. Also mock screenshots I made.

### Prologue

**Chapter 0: Ties That Bind**

In a dream, Anri witnesses a battle between his Nohrian and Hoshidan brothers and sisters. He wakes in his bedroom in Castle Krakenburg, Nohr, confounded by these premonitions. He hears a distant song lulling him awake.

**Chapter 1: Nohr**

After going about his usual morning training with Sir Gunter, he welcomes his brothers and sisters home from a recent skirmish. In light of the victory, Anri asks his father King Garon for a chance to go to the outside world to fight in his country's name. To his luck, his father agrees to allow him out of the castle for the first time in years.

**Chapter 2: Rite of Passage**

As promised, King Garon agrees to allow Anri to travel outside of the province of Westerstede and engage in skirmishes like his siblings. However, he asks that his son prove his skills before the war council to gain their respect. Included in the circle are Iago, the current royal tactician and advisor, Xander, Anri's eldest brother and crown prince, and Sir Gunter, Garon's retainer and Anri's royal combat instructor.

Anri is tasked with fighting some captured Hoshidan prisoners, among them Rinkah and Kaze. Unable to bring himself to harm the prisoners, Anri's loyalty and ability in battle is questioned by several members of the council, but Leo intervenes and supposedly kills Kaze and Rinkah himself. Later, Kaze and Rinkah are revealed to have survived the encounter and are set free by the royal siblings.

King Garon recommends Hans, a former mercenary and criminal, as Anri's escort for the mission. The disturbing announcement prompts Xander to ask Sir Dennis of Lovell and Sir Gunter to accompany his brother as well. Before Anri departs, Xander warns him about his history with Hans. Years before, he encountered Hans while invenstigating the disappearance of his younger sister Princess Diantha. While he never truly uncovered the truth about Diantha, he managed to arrest Hans on other charges. Anri takes Xander's warnings to heart and proceeds on his first mission.

**Chapter 3: Journey Begins**

Anri is introduced to Sir Dennis of Lovell, a distinguished general and member of the royal guard. Sir Gunter attests to his loyalty and bravery, likening him to Anri's deceased older brother Prince Marius, who died in battle years prior. The soldiers accompanying him are wary of his unfamiliarity with battle, but quickly warm up to him because of his kindness. Sir Gunter makes sure to keep his student away from Hans, who continues to act suspiciously.

At their destination, the party learns the fortress has been made a Hoshidan outpost, and they set out to retake it. Anri manages to defeat the leader of the ninjas occupying the area and revels in his first victory, but Hans has other plans. Hans strands Sir Gunter and Anri from the rest of the party, cutting off the bridge across the canyon. Sir Gunter falls into the depths below to a certain death, while Anri is left to fend for himself on the other side of the canyon. He is taken captive by the Hoshidan reinforcements led by Kagero, but Kaze appears once again to take Anri into his custody on royal orders.

Days later, Anri wakes in Fire Tribe lands, and is shocked to see Rinkah and Kaze again. He is introduced to Hoshido for the first time and is told he must travel to the capital. Seeing no clear way to return home by himself, Anri willingly goes along with Rinkah and Kaze and travel for a month. Along the way, he learns about his escorts. Rinkah agreed to the plan to infiltrate Nohr because her tribe was indebted to the royal family. Kaze did so because he had known Anri when they were younger and had sworn to stay by his side.

**Chapter 4: Hoshido**

Rinkah, Kaze, and Anri arrive at the steps of Shirasagi and meet Ryoma, the high prince of Hoshido. There, Anri learns that he is the son of the king and queen of Hoshido. He is reunited with his mother, Mikoto, who gains his instant trust after she reveals a secret only she would know as his mother.

**Chapter 5: Mother**

Moments before the festivities, Anri hears a haunting song that causes him immense pain, and he is forcibly turned into a dragon. Driven to a craze from agony, he lays waste to the city square and kills Mikoto, who was trying to calm him down. In fear of what he had caused, Anri goes mad and continues wreaking havoc. Ryoma and Takumi argue on whether or not they should put their brother down to stop the carnage, but Azura suggests that they incapacitate him so she can perform a song to calm him down.

The plan succeeds, but now everyone believes that Anri purposefully murdered the queen. Ryoma puts him under house arrest until further notice. In his confinement, Anri wonders what he should do now: trust that his brother by blood Ryoma will help clear his name, or flee Hoshido as soon as possible to return to his Nohrian family.

**Chapter 6: Embrace the Dark**

Feeling sure that he did not murder his mother out of volition, Anri decides that he must return home to his Nohrian siblings in hopes that his survival may buy him time to find the truth. He makes his intentions known to Kaze and Azura, who assist his escape.

Meanwhile, Xander admits to the rest of his siblings that he should have warned Anri about Hans earlier, and that Hans is involved in Diantha's disappearance. This forms a rift in the trust between Xander and the other siblings. Camilla wonders if Xander suspects she had a hand in murdering Diantha, and Leo is upset that Xander would put Anri in such a dangerous situation. Elise is worried that the disagreement can lead to further fallout.

Upon news of Anri's capture, the council of generals unanimously agree to declare war on Hoshido.

### I. Darkness Embraced

**Chapter 7: A Dragon's Decree**

Anri and his Hoshidan family arrive to engage the Nohrian army at the Hoshidan plans. Xander expresses relief that Anri still lives and is on Hoshido's side, but is doubly surprised when Anri breaks rank and calls for Camilla to help him get away. His Hoshidan siblings watch in shock that Anri would so easily leave them, and Takumi swears that Anri will face punishment for escaping justice, concluding that he did have intent to kill Queen Mikoto.

Leo, Camilla, and Anri return to the capital to report Anri's return, while Xander and Elise stay on the front lines to maintain their hold on the edge of the Hoshidan plains. Realizing that they can continue delving into their suspicions about Xander's unusual behavior surrounding their sister's disappearance, Leo and Anri agree to collaborate together to gather information from all over Nohr. Leo suspects that a greater figure in the court is behind the coverup and warns Anri to not speak of this matter to anyone, not even their sisters and especially not Xander. They both also believe that whoever works against them also would wish to divide their efforts, so the two brothers agree to divide their work into two: Anri would investigate the south, while Leo would take the North.

**Chapter 8: Cold Reception**

Anri and company arrive at an ill maintained fort, its inhabitants equally as underwhelming. Determined to refresh the fortress, Anri decides to address the lack of supplies by visiting the Ice Tribes, who are protesting unfair conditions and are planning revolution. With Flora's guidance, Anri and his small army march to tribal lands to seek a deal and stop the revolt. He planned this move at a moment's notice so Niles is forced to play catch up after arriving late to the fort. After proving that he meant no harm by merely incapacitating Chief Kilma and his people, Kilma concedes and agrees to negotiate with Anri.

Feeling that Anri would be reasonable, Kilma agrees to continue helping supply the fort. In a late night chat, he suggests that Anri should be wary of the king, as he was responsible for the Ice Tribes' subjugation and the death of Kilma's wife and second daughter. When he even goes to suggest that Xander would likely take after the king in temperament because he was complicit, Anri objects, but still has carries Kilma's thoughts along with his questions about Xander's silence.

### II. Army Building

**Chapter 9: Another Trial**

**Chapter 10: Unhappy Reunion**

**Chapter 11: Rainbow Sage**

**Chapter 12: Bitter Intrigue**

### III. Chevois Rebellion

**Chapter 13: Uprising**

Anri and company arrive to Cheve, where the rebels are based and led by Scarlet. They meet the general in charge of defending Cheve and the Wall of Arbon and also dealing with the rebels, Daniela, a former retainer of the late Prince Jeremiah. At first, Anri and Daniela do not get off on the right start due to difference in dealing with rebels, causing all sorts of difficulties while Scarlet continues to give the Nohrian army trouble. Anri is disheartened to see that Takumi is assisting Scarlet and involving himself in internal Nohrian matters. Meanwhile, Takumi observes the political conflicts that are happening inside the rebellion itself between Scarlet and her second in command Matthaus, keeping Saizo's words of warning in mind.

Anri continues to use his usual methods of keeping Cheve safe, prompting Elise and Azura to go assist the soldiers in town and establish goodwill among the citizens of Cheve and make them more cooperative with the army. However, they are ambushed by rebels who put the citizens of the city at risk. Camilla arrives in time to save them, but Daniela uses the event to make a point that Anri's ways won't work here in Cheve. Anri reluctantly orders Elise and Azura to not leave the fortress unless they are on a mission, much to the two's dismay. Meanwhile, he sees that the rebels have no qualms endangering their fellow citizens they swore to protect.

Slowly, Anri and Daniela start to gain ground in winning against the rebels. This begins a series of brutal attacks against the Nohrian soldiers. When soldiers end up dead before the gates of the Wall of Arbon, stripped bare and covered in deadly whip wounds. Upon inspection, Daniela and the others conclude that the whip marks were done by a certain special whip that was used only by the late head of the Durand family, Saverio of Durand. When asked why she knew about this information, Daniela admits that she knew a woman personally who had suffered from the whip. These activities concern Anri and Azura even more in regards to Takumi, who still continues to support Scarlet's cause.

Silas arrives to the Wall of Arbon after in a hurry, and he explains that he rushed back to tell Anri that King Garon is planning to send Hans down to Cheve if they do not hurry and put an end to Scarlet's rebellion.

Meanwhile, Scarlet is not able to handle the talk of mutiny and frustration of her men as some have acted out and broken the code of their revolution. She is unable to find out who has ordered some of her men to attack the princesses in broad daylight or abduct and torture Nohrian soldiers beyond reasonable measure. Takumi doesn't consider himself a part of the issue until Hinata is attacked by the same mutinous rebels after witnessing Matthaus make a shady deal with someone to deal with Anri. With Hinata effectively silenced, Oboro and Takumi officially don't trust Matthaus.

A major battle descends into chaos when a mysterious figure sings and turns Anri into a rampant dragon. While Anri's allies struggle to stop him until Azura comes, Takumi is horrified by the transformation and sees Matthaus delight in the event as if he planned it himself. The Nohrian army is forced to retreat, and Elise and Arthur are captured in the middle of the mess. Anri comes to later and despairs at the news. Scarlet and Matthaus' partnership deteriorates as their ideals begin to diverge more, and Matthaus takes his anger out on Arthur. Takumi subtly asks Oboro to make sure Elise is unharmed and tries to keep Matthaus' torture of the prisoners minimal.

A hostage exchange is arranged, but Matthaus uses this chance to turn on Scarlet and Anri, using all the rebel members and mercenaries he persuaded to join his cause. He reveals he is a survivor of the Durand Massacre and originally was named Matteo of Durand. Scarlet and Anri are forced to team up and kill Matthaus. With Matthaus gone, Anri asks if Scarlet could stop her revolution because he can offer her the autonomy and dignity she wants for her province under Nohrian rule. Unfortunately, Scarlet declines any offer to join Anri's side for the greater good of Cheve, wishing to take responsibility for Matthaus' crimes and having invested too much in the revolution to bow to Nohrian rule again. Anri is disheartened by Scarlet's choice but accepts it.

The final battle begins, and Anri is forced to face his brother Takumi, who assumes this will be his last stand. Takumi voices his resentments he felt for Anri and upon losing, believes he has no will to live and throws himself off a wall. Anri is horrified and begs to see Takumi's body, but Azura and Camilla tell him to continue and help Daniela fight Scarlet. Azura uses this chance to save Takumi from near death and hands him off to Oboro and Hinata who are escaping Cheve.

As expected, General Hans arrives to assist Anri, much to his chagrin, but they minimize the damage by defeating Scarlet first and stopping Hans from putting more damage to Cheve. Anri is unable to kill Scarlet himself hoping to change her mind, but Azura immediatley complies with Scarlet's wishes and puts her down.

Hoping to show some example of healing, Anri hosts a memorial service for those who have fallen during the fighting, while Azura sings a traditional Chevois mourning song. Although he likely solved the army's problems, Anri still feels he has failed this mission because he was unable to make a better outcome with Scarlet and Takumi alive. He is approached by Charlotte and Benny who thank him for being a good boss to them, and offers their services to his army as he returns to the front lines.

Note: It is possible for Hans to kill Scarlet himself, leading to a different outcome. Hans would be allowed to run more rampant on the basis he killed Scarlet when Anri could not. Benny's younger brother would be a casualty, making Benny and Charlotte unrecruitable because morale in Cheve would drop dramatically.

### IV. Yukimura's Offensive

**Part I**

Anri arrives at Marseden and reunites with his brothers Leo and Xander. There, he gives his report of his "victory" to King Garon and presents his choice of retainers: Silas and Kaze. Iago and some others raise objections to the candidates, but Garon waves off the generals' concerns, saying that since Anri succeeded in his assignment in Cheve, he shows good judgement. Iago, still bitter that Anri is allowed to do as he pleases, tries to make the process harder by demanding an official ceremony to ensure Anri's retainers won't betray the crown. Anri doesn't hesitate to agree to a public ceremony, flustering the advisor. Azura reintroduces herself to the royal court and receives her father's welcome.

Leo and Anri catch up by speaking about what to do with the Cult of Kleo. They suspect that Matthaus had connections to the cult, since there was really no other person who would know how to target Anri in such a way. Anri admits he is not comfortable with hiding their investigation from the other siblings and their close allies, but Leo states that he doesn't trust them, especially not after Xander had kept secrets from them this entire time.

**Part II: Central Post**

Azura and Xander rekindle their bonds by fighting alongside each other in battle. They work closely with the council of generals, who are currently struggling with finding a way to control the hordes of Faceless for their operations. Azura proposes that she use her Fire Emblem to control them with song. She succeeds, gaining favorable impressions from many, but easily tires out from controlling so many. Xander expresses his concern, but Azura suspects his intentions at first until he explains how he doesn't want to repeat what he did wrong before as her brother. Xander states that he cares for her not just because he's honoring Damian's wishes, but he truly does care for her as a person. Their heart-to-heart gives Xander's Siegfried enhanced abilities thanks to Azura's Fire Emblem.

Hinoka fight alongside her uncle in the Amachi domain, taking missions from the royal strategist Yukimura and tracking down Nohrian spies operating along the border. She is conflicted about her recent fallout with her younger siblings and feels that Ryoma doesn't listen to her. At first she does well in finding these Nohrian spies, but one day she hesitates when she runs into Hoshidan villagers who empathize with the Nohrian cause. Yukimura encourages her to kill them as well. Still overcome from the anger with her experiences, she agrees with the strategist, believing that she must resort to extreme actions against Nohrians to scare them into submission. They cover up Hoshidan involvement in the destruction of their traitors by using the Nohrian equipment they stole to attract Faceless and lay blame on the Nohrian army.

Azura and Xander learn of Nohrian spies getting caught and set out to investigate and continued reports of villages getting attacked by Faceless. They run into Hinoka setting fire to the village and they get caught up in the inferno as well. Azura helps Xander and the rest of the accompanying soldiers escape and faces off with Hinoka, who ends up trapped in the fire after her pegasus gets scared and flees. They are forced to help each other escape, ending with both of them barely escaping death. Hinoka wakes up to her retainers finding her, but learns Azura has left. Meanwhile, Azura returns a hero to the Nohrian army for saving Xander and her own men, solidifying her place in the Nohrian army.

**Part III**

**Part IV**

**Part V: Remember Her**

### V. Life From Death

**Chapter 14: Voice of Paradise**

**Chapter 15: The Black Pillar**

### VI. The Race for Hoshido

**Chapter 16: The Pirate**

**Chapter 17: Den of Betrayal**

**Chapter 18: Black & White**

Anri and Xander arrive at Izumo, relinquishing their weapons at the front gate, and are welcomed by the Archduke Izana, who mentions that the Hoshidan army had recently visited for aid as well but they had left. All seems well until Kaze runs into an injured Oboro while scouting the city. Oboro reveals that the Hoshidan army had not left Izumo after all, but are actually imprisoned on the archduke's orders. Xander and Anri try to come up with a plan to retrieve their weapons and question the archduke about the Hoshidans, but have trouble. Laslow proposes they enlist Azura's help and they take her out of confinement. Azura offers to accompany her brothers as she can use water as a weapon.

They confront Izana and corner him, and, to their surprise, the archduke retaliates and but fails thanks to Azura. Revealing himself as none other than Zola seeking revenge on Anri and punishment on Xander for defying Garon, the false archduke calls an all out attack on the Nohrian army. Anri frees Takumi and Sakura and form a brief truce with them to take out Zola. Zola is at first defiant over the fact that Xander has yet to be the true king for Garon still lives. Xander denies this and with Anri's approval, executes Zola. Sakura is eager to reunite with her brother, but finds that Anri, and also Azura, have changed.

**Chapter 19: Kitsune Lair**

**Chapter 20: Winds of Change**

**Chapter 21: Eternal Stairway**

**Chapter 22: Sakura**

**Chapter 23: Possessed**

**Chapter 24: Hinoka**

**Chapter 25: Ryoma**

### VII. Sons and Daughters of Valla

**Chapter 26: Fallen Kingdom**

**Chapter 27: Hear My Cry**

**Endgame: Night Breaks Through**

### Endings

**Ending A**

**Ending B**

**Ending C**

### DLC

**Escape to the Surface**

Hesiod sings his completed song to Anankos and receives blessings for his composition. His wife, Queen Arete, and his sister in law, Eirene, decide that a celebration is in order. However, on the eve of the celebration, Hesiod steals the Fire Emblem and grants Anankos a long-awaited wish to catch a glimpse of his people in celebration.This would prove fatal when Anankos, believing he was sane enough to last a second of no restraint, reverted to his mad state and destroyed the entire kingdom in a fortnight. The great, prosperous Valla was no more.

Arete and her sister Eirene standd horrified before the carnage and rubble that had once been their beloved kingdom. They come across the corpse of Hesiod, who had died in the rampage then resurrected and possessed by Anankos. While much destruction was caused, Anankos’s body fell apart from atrophy and lack of use, forcing him to flee his original body for another. The mad dragon expressed his despair for having destroyed his people and fled the isle to the surface, hoping to find a way to bring Valla back from the dead.

Realizing that Anankos could potentially slip further into madness and potentially destroy the world for the sake of reviving Valla, Arete and Eirene vowed to stop him as the remaining priestesses of Valla, and went to the surface.


	4. The Geography of Nohr

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Map and Brief Description of the various provinces of Nohr.

[[Big罪罪罪罪罪罪罪 by Hiroyuki Sawano, The Seven Deadly Sins OST](https://soundcloud.com/silverzenith-rathlion/hiroyuki-sawano-nanatsu-no-taizai-ost-big)]

I promised I’ll talk about the concubines first, but I keep going back to the noble houses. Plus designing and illustrating multiple pretty women is hard.

This Canon Divergence Nohr is divided into six main provinces, each ruled by one of the major noble houses in the name of the king, though there have been exceptions. The names were made by running a random generator, so excuse the inconsistency, I wanted to get this done and over with.

Can’t draw borders for shit, but we’ll just have to make do with my grade school cartographic skills and awful sense of geography. I also tried to incorporate the smithing and food resources you collect in the game to the regions though my own knowledge of which grows best where is limited. Names were chosen from a list of randomly generated names, and are not that subtle. The red star in Fallmount is supposed to be a placeholder location for Anri’s castle/fortress because I’m trying to see how I can incorporate My Castle without use of Astral Realms (deep realms don’t exist in this AU).

  1. **Vandale**  (House Ragnar) - The coldest place in all of Nohr, blessed by a constant blanket of snow. The northern and western border is well defended by both the harsh weather and a company of wyvern knights and berserkers run by Ivan of Ragnar, supervised by Tatiana of Ragnar. Axes happen to be the most handy tool around there because a lot of sapphire deposits are located here.
  2. **Westerstede** (House Albrand) - Because of the arid climate, Westerstede has to rely on the likes of Janholt and Esterlyn for sustenance. To make up for this deficiency, Westerstede does have the most crystal, onyx, and ruby deposits, all highly sought after by Nohrian smithies. Since Westerstede also contains the capital of Windmire, House Albrand has the most influence over the crown.
  3. **Morbank** (House Buelen) - Known best for their academy for advanced magic and healing arts, topaz deposits, and many, many cows (hence Buelen’s name). Many visitors say the cities can be quite a view on festival days, though lately, the Faceless infestation makes travel in this province fairly dangerous.
  4. **Esterlyn** (House Lovell) - Although much of their effort is spent on defending the border, inhabitants are also focused on agricultural production, their specialty being wheat, a major staple food in Nohr. The great dedication to their work to keep the country alive has earned them the reputation as a modest people fiercely loyal to the crown. Also everyone there loves owning pet dogs, also the symbol of House Lovell.
  5. **Fallmount** (House Gehring) - Formerly governed by House Durand, but after the Massacre of Durand, given to a former subordinate house of House Albrand. The lack of control over newly acquired territory to make up for the loss of Janholt has thrown Fallmount into greater decline. Now it’s a hotbed for underground activity and rebellion, which has become a national problem and is extending into Westerstede. Characters such as Niles, Daniela, and Beruka were born here and grew up with the unforgiving culture.
  6. **Janholt** (House Minett) - A more recent addition, and governed by the youngest major house. Janholt was originally a part of Fallmount that was forfeited to Lady Seraphina’s family, House Minett. One of the better well-off provinces in Nohr because of its control over sea trade and its sufficient emerald deposits. They usually have no quarrel with Hoshidan ships passing through their waters, but now that the war has been renewed in full force, the Minetts request the help of reinforcements from Windmire.




	5. The Major Noble Houses

### House Lorenzen

_[Glory favors the strong](https://soundcloud.com/tyapin-alexandr/04-beautiful-emperor)_  

> Comfortable with the founding of her kingdom, the Great Dusk Dragon Kleo sired four children, two daughters and two sons. These four would continue their mother’s tradition of pursuing glory and ruling with reason, creating one of the greatest civilizations that existed on the west lands. After a calamity that devastated the continent, Kleo’s kingdom would collapse and fracture into various smaller kingdoms constantly at war with each other, but the surviving children of dragon’s blood would come back together to bring back some semblance of peace. Named after a the victory laurels derived from their kingdom of origin, the Lorenzens would slowly but surely recover their lost land and more.
> 
> As the only family that still carries the Dragon’s Blood, the Lorenzens are recognized by much of the land as rightful rulers to the land. Their history is decorated with heroes and tyrants, cultivating a well rounded reputation for walking the line between reason and madness. The Albrands, who were major players in reviving the Lorenzen clan after its fall in the dark ages that followed the calamity, are now strongly tied to them by blood and oath. Although their numbers have diminished after several succession crises, the Nohrian Royal Family has not lost their strength and will surely continue their reign indefinitely.

Known members

  * **Rembrandt** \- Garon’s father, 40th king of Nohr, a reasonable man who knew how to strike a good balance between being strict and kind to his people. Carries the family tradition of being a sappy poet.
  * **Oswald** \- Rembrandt’s younger brother who tried to usurp the throne by killing his brother’s family, a strong believer in “the ends justify the means”, was defeated by his nephew in a close final battle.
  * **Ginevra of Durand** \- Rembrandt’s first consort, Hugo’s mother. Although a soft-spoken woman, was a gifted mage who helped cultivate the small gardens that are scattered about Windmire.
  * **Calanthe of Lovell** \- Rembrandt’s second consort, Garon’s mother. A straight-laced knight who accepted nothing but the very best from her son and stepson.
  * **Hugo** \- Garon’s brother, 41st King of Nohr, Assassinated by Oswald’s faction during his short reign. Diantha and Leo’s predecessor who received Brynhildr’s blessing, and an enthusiastic coffee lover.
  * **Garon** \- Currently 42nd King of Nohr, once a ambitious man eager to rebuild his kingdom after a devastating succession crisis and crop failures, currently indisposed after a failed peace agreement in Cheve.
  * **Siegbert the Elder**  - The 24th King of Nohr, Holds the record for the longest reign, Known for driving invaders from the south out of Nohr, married a woman named Brynhildr, whose name lives on through the tome that has been passed down as a royal treasure.
  * I’d list all the kids, but then it’d take too long.



Design Notes and Ideas:

  * Wanna know how that dragon banner happened? I took [one of these dragon vectors ](http://www.freevector.com/heraldic-animals-set)and then stuck antlers on top so it looks like a Vallite dragon. Yeah, that’s all I did. Now it just looks excessive.
  * Oswald probably should have had his own kids… or maybe he couldn’t have any? Can’t imagine Garon or Hugo wanting to be his hostage
    * He actually wanted Ginevra for himself, but she rejected his advances and he killed her for that
    * Calanthe would try to avenge Ginevra, but she would be taken down by one of Oswald’s berserker of a retainer
  * Is that a Durand I see? Yes, Garon’s brother Hugo was a Durand
    * This fact was really helpful when Kate had to reunite the noble houses against Oswald
    * The difficult part was getting her own family in line with Garon. At least her dad loved her a lot
  * I left the names of Kleo’s children blank for the most part, but I personally named them after the four winged companions of Zeus: Nike, Kratos, Zelos, and Bia
    * I bet Nike’s family survived, and would serve as the basis for the Lorenzen clan.
    * I guess that’s where Leo got the idea of giving Niles his current name. Niles is touched that he’s named after the Nohrian embodiment of victory. It’s better than his name as a criminal and he sure as hell won’t tell anyone his original name if his life depended on it.
  * The technique of using using Dragon Veins was lost to history after the big calamity that wiped out a lot of the Vallite population on the surface



### House Albrand

_[From fire, courage](https://soundcloud.com/tyapin-alexandr/avalon) _

> A well-known children’s tale in Nohr recounts the travels of the great Dusk Dragon Kleo, who encountered a griffon whose wings could span a whole forest. Compared to Kleo’s cool and calculating demeanor, the griffon was quick to fight and at first threatened to lay waste to an entire city if she refused to fight him. She won by a close margin, and the humbled griffon vowed to stay with her the rest of his life. After passing, his followers continued to carry out his wishes to protect Kleo’s descendants, leading to the beginnings of a people whose passion could best any flame.
> 
> House Albrand stands as one of the founding houses of Nohr, stalwart protectors of the Westerstede Province, maintaining dominance over many of the decisions made by the throne. Many of the army’s paladins and great knights have trained under the Albrand name, hence the reason why many of their class bear this house’s motif. But an old, majestic house is not without its faults. Their long run blood feud with the Durands escalated during the succession crisis leading to King Garon’s crowning and reached a new height when Katerina of Albrand was made Garon’s first consort. Today, they continue to serve the king and maintain a firm grasp on national policy with little opposition, but perhaps that may change with the advent of a new king.

Known members:

  * **Augustine** \- Head of the house, A cantankerous, aging man who with an odd sense of humor that is only understood by his family, surprisingly still fit to ride into battle, but only knows honor before reason, much to his men’s dismay
  * **Odelia** \- Katerina’s cousin, a powerful paladin who won her husband’s heart by besting him in a bitter rivalry that bloomed into forbidden love, Effie hopes to beat Odelia’s record for bench pressing the heaviest boulder.
  * **Katerina** \- First consort of King Garon. Augustine’s daughter, a kind, gentle woman who hides her true nature underneath a sickly demeanor, the vicariously ambitious second in command to the king
  * **Florian** \- Married to Odelia, lost a hand when he was disowned by his family for fraternizing with a rival house, now serves as an administrator for Westerstede’s domestic affairs and is in dire need of coffee because of his uncle-in-law’s recklessness.
  * **Peri** \- From a vassal house of Albrand, Xander’s violently paranoid retainer, lost her mother to a Durand spy who served as a servant in her family, grew up suspecting that the Durands still live and lives in fear of their return.
  * **Duncan** \- Katerina’s cousin, Silas’ mentor, a well-respected general who is not as gutsy as his uncle, guards the Nohrian sea from the island of Notre Sagesse, later killed by Hinoka during a Hoshidan invasion
  * **Gunther** \- Married to Violeta, one of king Garon’s most trusted friends, and a legend among his men for taking on an army by himself, has mentored some of the greatest warriors in Nohrian history
  * **Violeta** \- Gunther’s wife, Augustine’s daughter, a timid counterpart to the social butterfly of her older sister Katerina, but is the better cook and won her husband’s heart through his stomach
  * **Lockie** \- Gunther and Violeta’s son, Xander’s former retainer, is as shy as his mother, but as unbending as his father, is not comfortable with the sight of blood, but if his cousin is in danger, heads will roll



Design and Idea Notes:

  * Albrand is derived from Adelbrand, composed of the Germanic elements adel “noble” and brand “flaming sword”. I am not subtle.
    * You know, this should have been the royal family’s name, but I forgot the royal family should have its own name until just a week ago
    * I can probably chalk it off as the griffon in the tale having been important in the forging of the Siegfried… maybe that was the griffon’s name
    * Lorenzen is a glorified vassal house of Albrand anyways (independent, but still very strongly tied), so I guess it still counts
  * The Albrands pretty much run the academy that trains Nohrian knights (if that could even exist)
    * The academy is mentioned in Camilla-Selena C Support (Selena easily defeated some of the academy’s finest students)
    * Much of the royals have received private training from the teachers here (like Gunther, Sloane, and Faye)
    * Silas, Peri, Dennis, Horatio, and Julius studied here.
    * Effie was recommended to study here under Sloane’s tutelage
  * Duncan was originally going to be Lockie’s brother meaning he could have been Gunther and Violeta’s son, too, but I changed my mind
    * It would have been sad to know this if you were playing as Hinoka or Takumi invading Notre Sagesse where he was based
    * The poor guy would have lost his brother and then recently, his dad, so I elected not to do that and aged him up instead
    * Well, he’s still related to somebody, so we can still feel bad for killing him (Hinoka and Takumi say otherwise)
  * By the time of the plot, there’s a split in the Albrand House over Xander’s respectability as a future ruler, probably because Augustine just doesn’t like the poor kid
  * [The griffon sigil was created by Alexis](http://www.freevector.com/heraldic-animals-set), in case anyone needs it



### House Buelen

_[Forwards, ever forward](https://soundcloud.com/tyapin-alexandr/noblesse-oblige) _

> In the Northeast of the west lands was a people who lived and breathed magic. From where they came from, the bull was an important animal, and so they chose this creature to represent their unyielding pursuit for progress. One family rose above the rest trough the invention of giving physical meaning to words transcribed within specially constructed sheets of paper which would give rise to the formation of tomes. Interested in the potential for such devices, Kleo’s descendants called upon them to serve as artisans in their court, while the Buelens themselves were fascinated by the divine blood that ran through the royal family’s veins.
> 
> Today, although no longer the tome-making craftsmen they once were, House Buelen stand as the leading experts on research in magic and archaeology. They were historically known to have intermingled the most with the mythical priestesses of Valla, but much of their knowledge have been lost after the calamity to wiped out all remaining Vallites on the surface.

Known members:

  * **Roderick**  - Head of House Buelen. Annaliese’s father. A forward thinking man who thinks solely of bettering his kingdom and nothing else. Thinks the scientific advances made by his family will one day be a solution to Nohr’s shortages, but so far has come up with nothing.
  * **Amalia**  - Roderick and Ashley’s younger sister, and Silas’s aunt. An enthusiastic of ruins and ancient architecture. Currently runs Morbank’s excavation efforts of old artifacts predating the Calamity of Mist and Foam. Once a co-worker to Marianne.
  * **Horatio** \- Jeremiah and Leo’s mentor, formerly Gunther and Garon’s best friend, known for his skill with both sword and magic, has a long history of failures he cannot recover from and had retired to Morbank after his oldest student died at the hands of his youngest.
  * **Ronne** \- Nohrian general, current spymaster to the king, his identity is currently unknown, but he has been suspected of being a member of House Buelen. His title has been acknowledged by the king and is allowed to work in silence.
  * **Fedele** \- Irma and Horatio’s father, Roderick’s brother. The current head magician who represents all the mages’ temples scattered about Nohr. Has been looking for the missing Memorandum of N, but to no avail.
  * **Annaliese** \- Jeremiah’s mother, consort to Garon, once betrothed to King Hugo. Strongly under the believe that Garon (and by extension Xander) did not deserve the throne, attempted to kill the eldest royal children and was consequently cursed to perpetual illness.
  * **Irma** \- Roswitha’s mother, consort to Garon. Possessing better sense than her cousin Annaliese, tried to plot for Buelen dominance on the throne and a major player in instigating the conflict with Hoshido. Was slain by the Kinshi Knight Reina before her goals could be realized.
  * **Renatus** \- A mage from the central temple in Morbank who manages the archived information and historical records of Nohr.



Design Notes and Ideas:

  * Well, Buelen, literally means “bull”, so pretty simple to understand.
  * It’s rather anticlimatic that the four founders’ animals were a dragon, a griffon, a unicorn, and then a bull. But! Bulls were a big deal back in the old days, so yeah guys, respect the bull!
  * Leo’s tome Brynhildr was a commissioned tome from the Buelens back when their main job was making tomes.
    * The materials involved in crafting this tome remains unknown, but it must have been powerful.
    * Also, similar to how the Siegfried and Raijinto have been reforged to keep up with the style of its time, Brynhildr has been rebound with new and better protective covers as time went by.
  * For the longest time, the Buelens under the direction of a Buelen-born Lorenzen has been looking into the principle and existence of Dragon Veins.
    * There hasn’t been much progress, as there are very little records left of the phenomenon, but there has been enough to bring back the knowledge of their existence
    * The Buelens manage one of the biggest archives of Nohrian history, and are great advocates of preserving historical landmarks
    * This includes the now defunct Dragon’s Gate, which had once been said to be the gate built by Kleo to allow the Vallite priestesses to travel more freely in the north.
    * Now that Anri and Azura exist, they’ll probably be even more interested
  * Probably one of the least pleasant parts about living in Morbank is living near the cattle. If the wind blows just the wrong way, you can smell things you didn’t want to smell.
  * [Taurus from Zodiac Signs by roundpixel.org](http://roundpixel.org/?page_id=11)



### House Durand (Dissolved)

_[We were, we are, we will be](https://soundcloud.com/tyapin-alexandr/06-crooked-diaries) _

> During Kleo’ and Dions travels through a dense, they encountered a creature of shimmering beauty, to which the forest’s inhabitants called a ‘unicorn’. Fascinated by its ethereal appearance, the two siblings kept it as a traveling companion and a voice of reason to the griffon Albrand’s hotheadedness. The unicorn would later follow Kleo after the two sibling dragons separated and bore witness to the rise of the Dusk Dragon’s kingdom. The unicorn outlived its master and like Albrand, it would continue to watch over Kleo’s children till the day it died.
> 
> The unicorn’s love for its queen has lived on through the Durand family, one of the four founding houses of Nohr. Fine masters of the healing arts, they have contributed greatly to the medical advances in Nohr and are responsible for the construction of Palace Macarath, but their fighting prowess is not to be underestimated. However, for all their accomplishments, their hate for the Albrands would not subside. During the second wave of the conflict with Hoshido, the Durands were accused of treachery and conspiring with the Hoshidans. All were executed by royal decree, an action that threw the entire nation out of balance. The true reasons as to why they were wiped out remains unknown, but the mass graves in the Forest of the Forlorn are telling.

Known members:

  * **Paulino** \- The head of house. A dear friend to the late King Rembrandt through his cousin Ginevra, had once undertaken the duty of bringing peace and order to the turbulent province of Fallmount.
  * **Monica** \- Saverio and Theresa’s mother, Paulino’s wife, A gifted healer who ran the medical services in Palace Macarath, Became lax with policing her children’s activities after learning of her husband’s infidelity.
  * **Saverio** \- Paulino’s eldest son, Theresa’s younger brother, Hotheaded and not as accommodating as his father, a beast on the battlefield, encouraged the rampant organized crime that would later lead to his family’s downfall.
  * **Theresa** \- Liselotte and Thomas’ mother, consort to Garon, better known as the Witch of Fallmount for her powerful magic ability, her expertise in crafting potions and medicines, and later for her cruelty to her fellow consorts. Her reign of terror ended by the vengeful Seraphina.
  * **Matteo** \- Paulino’s grandnephew, Idolized Saverio as a child, and said to have perished in the Massacre of Durand with his parents.
  * **Petra** \- Saverio’s mistress, Magda’s mother, not officially a part of the family, but was bought out of servitude in a brothel and maid to work as a servant just so she could see her two daughters again.
  * **Madgalena** \- consort to Garon, bastard child of Paulino, her lowly status relegated her as a black sheep in the family, but she became one of Theresa’s pawns to support her younger sister and paid with her life.
  * **???** \- Magdalena’s younger sister, bastard child of Paulino, has not been seen since she was taken away from the Durands after Magda married Garon under Theresa’s suggestion.
  * **Gabrielle** \- consort to Garon, Katerina’s sole retainer, Once a member of the three knight companies that served the Durands, was forced to choose between the man she served and the man that raised her.



Design ideas and notes:

  * House Durand starts with a ‘D’, so it was fourth on the list when I started coming up with the noble houses
    * One of the possible names for this family was Naggia
  * For a house whose name and motto were about enduring the test of time, they sure didn’t last that long
  * At some point, that wasn’t a unicorn but a ram, but I went back to unicorns because why not
  * Magda’s younger sister was at first written to be her lover, like how Claudia was to Diantha, but I didn’t want to repeat the same thing, so I made her a little sister instead
  * Paulino was supposed to be a real asshole to his kids, but I mellowed him out later on as I continued writing
  * When I think of Saverio, I think proud, impulsive, violent, but also an overzealous Not!Big Brother Instinct (he’s younger)
    * Probably one of the reasons Garon didn’t let Theresa go aside from sentimental value was that if he did do that, Saverio would have made a lot of trouble for him
    * Did I also mention he was about to marry Claudia? That’s a little scary to think about
    * He’s also good at giving inspiring speeches and getting people riled up over things
  * [Unicorn from Antique Animal Silhouettes by vectorlady.com](http://www.freevector.com/heraldic-animals-set)
  * Music: Crooked Diaries by Nakagawa Koutarou



### House Gehring

_[Strike swiftly, aim true](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhXGRWa17ZY) _

> Centuries ago, an Albrand warrior whose fame of wielding a massive spear dominated the battlefield, covered in the blood of his enemies. Many accounts liken him to the ancient hero Zelos despite having no relation to the divine dragon’s blood. This warrior was rewarded by his lord with the title of nobility with the Lorenzens’ approval. Thus began the Gehring family, one of the oldest families in Nohr who would enjoy great renown before descending into excess and ruin.
> 
> Formerly a subordinate house to House Buelen. After the Massacre of Durand, they were elevated to the status of a main house at the last minute, since the Minetts couldn’t keep all of the land that once belonged to the Durand. By the time the Gehrings were made administrators of the province, Fallmount was beyond repair. Intimidated by burden of fixing the broken infrastructure and unused to the hardly navigable forests, the Gehrings dispersed and descended to mere shadows of their former selves, chasing the memories of past glory. Their spirit was further broken after Nohr’s loss to Hoshido five years from present time, another stain on what was once a great house of honorable warriors.

Known members:

  * **Ursus** \- Current head of house, Youngest of five and didn’t expect to become head after the passing of his two unmarried brothers and sisters, prefers to spend his days in Macarath and other vacation spots rather than attend to his responsibilities as head.
  * **Silvia**  - Ursus’ wife, one of the last respectable knights of House Gehring, Died in battle attempting to avenge Prince Damian’s death shortly after his desecrated body showed up.
  * **Miriam** \- Daughter of Ursus, one of Elise’s dearest friends who is spoiled silly by her father, fascinated with mechanical contraptions and the applications of gunpowder.
  * **Verena** \- Sister of Ursus, Had an unrequited love for the king and resorted to pretending to have his child to get close to him, was assassinated by Seraphina and Theresa’s followers
  * **Karolina** \- Verena’s daughter, father unknown, supposedly claimed to be a daughter of dragon’s blood, but threw herself out a window after failing to kill Princess Camilla
  * **Jakob**  - The bastard son of Ursus, willing to cover up his affair but too weak-willed to kill his son, Ursus gave Jakob away to the Lovells to be a servant, is not keen on returning to the Gehrings unless Claudia commands him.



Design Ideas and Notes

  * According to Behind the Surname, Gehring is “derived from the Germanic element _ger_ ‘spear’ combined with _hard_ ‘brave, hardy’.”
  * A potential surname was “Wyght” but it wasn’t striking enough for me.
  * A lot of Gehrings were a part of Damian’s part of the army, so yeah, not a great day to lose when your boss’ head was stuck on a pikes
    * These days, a lot of them are tired of the fighting and don’t really care that they are running Fallmount into the ground, if the Durands haven’t done that already
    * Those who do feel strongly about the direction of the family have either been only able to maintain control within their little cities or are off at the front lines to reclaim dignity
  * Although the Gehrings and Minetts were both former vassal houses to Albrand, the Minetts are like the annoying little sister to the Gehrings
    * The Minetts pretty much hogged a lot of the glory of killing off the Durands and being successful fresh off the boat
    * They don’t have an extreme grudge against the Minetts, but they’re tired of hearing the Minetts do everything better then them
    * The hilarious (and not so hilarious) part is that they could ask the Minetts for help in administration of their lands
    * The Minetts are more than happy to assist them, but the Gehrings too prideful to come out and ask
  * Also, that spear wasn’t enchanted or anything, the founder was just ridiculously strong and has a lot of guts
  * Fort Etamin, Anri’s base of operations, is smack dab in the middle of Fallmount and is more or less run down really badly because Ursus never maintained it
    * The Gehrings do have decent places, but Etamin is definitely not one of them (they don’t even remember its name so Anri had to give it one)
    * It used to belong to the Durands and is one of the few places that still stand today (a lot of the Durand’s estates and property have been destroyed)
    * While the plot doesn’t involve Anri trying to chase Ursus around like a mother hen, he does try to look for him and sends some of his men out to do it
    * Due to cost issues, Ursus has been hiring mercenary companies as guards, although their reliability is questionable and has made the fort even more worse for wear
    * A lot of them don’t really listen to Anri until Camilla has to come in and straightens everyone out.
  * There would be a situation where Ursus dies unexpectedly (I guess you can really blame Takumi for this one)
    * Anri would have to find some quick solution and it would involve arranging a marriage between Miriam and some guy (likely with Julius of Minett)
    * Knowing how the Gehrings feel about the Minetts, they’d be pretty salty about it
    * Elise would also be pretty salty about that because she wants Miriam to be happy and not be forced into marriage (would be a lesson of bearing with not getting what you want)
    * She’d try to push Anri into persuading someone else to become the head, like dragging Jakob back to the Gehrings or something
    * Turns out Julius is generous enough not to ask Miriam to marry him (she’s not even his type), but requires a big list of things that need to be done
  * When are those ballistician classes coming in? I don’t know, whenever Miriam figures out to make a cannon.



### House Ragnar

_[Now our enemies rest](https://soundcloud.com/keegan97/mount-briggs-overture) _

> Most would believe that the mountains North of Westerstede were uninhabitable, but upon a small expedition, a Nohrian prince found a sprawling city of stone and snow, called Vandale by its inhabitants. Upon arrival, he was allowed to meet the Ragnars, guardians of the city, and after overcoming a not so difficult language barrier, they formed an amicable relationship. The acquisition of Vandale as Nohrian territory was smooth and involved little bloodshed because of this prince’s and the Ragnars’ careful planning.
> 
> Today, the Ragnars remain as aloof as ever, usually absent from most activities in the capital unless a critical emergency or important event was happening. Despite their detached attitude about external affairs, they will answer to the Lorenzens’ call quickly and efficiently should there be a need arise to fight a new enemy. Although they do not often appear in Windmire, their silvery hair, and fur trim are instantly recognizable.

Known members:

  * **Tatiana**  - head of the family, Sloane’s mother, took over her brother’s duties after he fell in battle, and since then has guarded the North with an iron fist.
  * **Reidar** \- Tatiana’s gentle husband, Sloane’s father, Does much of the housework in Tatiana’s place, Often expresses exasperation at his wife’s lack of tact while raising their son.
  * **Sloane** - Cornelia’s second husband, and a good friend of Prince Damian. Although he is as stone faced as the rest of his family, he is quite the prankster. Just a really hard one to catch because he’s just so good at masking his intentions.
  * **Sabina** \- Sloane’s aunt, Reidar’s sister, A wyvern riding instructor in Vandale for combat applications and recreational purposes. Taught Cornelia the many nuances of riding a wyvern when she trained up north.
  * **Miodrag** \- Tatiana’s younger brother, Matilda’s husband, and Loren’s father, the former commander of the Northern Guard, died during the first wave of the conflict with Hoshido.
  * **Ivan** \- A close friend to Tatiana and an honorary member of the family, an experienced fighter who has traveled a long way from home and settled up north to retire.
  * **Ingvar** \- Tatiana’s older brother, often considered an idiot in Tatiana’s eyes, Died because of his forgetfulness to properly put his armor together, leaving him open for a fatal attack by a mere foot soldier.
  * **Sergei** - A new addition to the House of Ragnar. He serves as a healer and an expert in wind magic. Unsurprisingly as a taciturn as the rest of the family and often follows his companion Ivan everywhere.



Design Ideas and notes:

  * Derived from Rayner, which From the Germanic name Raganhar, composed of the elements ragin “advice” and hari “army”.
    * Possible names for them were Rayner, Ulvestad, or just Vandale
    * Could have gone Stark ripoff with the wolves, but nah
    * If Lovells get the puppies, then Ragnars get the birds
  * A lot of their family are Generals, Heroes, and Berserkers
  * To deal with the harsh weather, a Vandali’s clothes would be noticeably be have fur lining (so if they existed in the game, they’d have some extra fur and stuff on exposed parts)
  * Tatiana aka Oliver Armstrong in the White Witch’s dress
    * She used to be rebellious in her teenage years
    * In concern of the succession crisis preceding Garon’s ascension, Katerina was able to acquire Tatiana’s support
    * They got along fairly well, but daddy Augustine is not a big fan of Tatiana’s punk-like attitude
  * The Ragnars remain uninvolved in Windmire affairs and rarely attend social events
    * They don’t really care about the Hoshidans, since they have no quarrel with a kingdom so far away from them
    * What they do care about is when other houses butt into their business (the Albrands and Buelens have an annoying tendency to do that)
  * Also since they hardly come out, the Ragnars often travel in huge groups in Windmire.
    * It’s not often you see one Ragnar without four more of them nearby.
    * Imagine Reidar looking at everyone and saying “Remember, kiddos, buddy system at all times!” and Tatiana nodding like an approving spouse
    * Just traveling to Windmire isn’t much work, but Reidar and Tatiana are very meticulous about packing



### House Minett

_[Now you see us](https://soundcloud.com/amanda-landry-175867776/arslan-senki-ost-07-aishuu-shoku-no-chiheisen) _

> Half a century ago, fearsome allies served the Nohrian King Rembrandt, protecting the Nohrian throne while in hiding. These shadowy figures seemed to be everywhere at once, listening through the walls and whispering among the crowds. Even after the king’s death, these figures continued to work for his children, ensuring their right to the throne. Shortly after Garon’s ascension to the throne, their presence had diminished greatly, their names still widely unknown to the public eye, but their reputation and common depiction as crows spread widely throughout the entire land. The founders of House Minett were inspired by these aforementioned characters and therefore chose the crow as the representative animal of their house.
> 
> Once a family of humble but clever Nestrian merchants with strong Chevois roots, the Minetts rose to power thanks to Lady Seraphina’s support and very careful planning. Commonly recognized by their lilac hair, the Minetts are the most down-to-earth for the common man, but deceitful to their noble peers. They are notoriously known for carrying out the Massacre of Durand, which won them large sums of land and fourth seat among the major noble houses alongside House Albrand, whom they were once sworn to. Most nobles are wary of their motivations, especially during Seraphina’s hard push for her house’s dominance in the politics of the kingdom. Today, the Minetts wish to be free of their bloody origins and are focused on humanitarian efforts and protecting the coast from trouble. Although they don’t seem to be as ambitious as they once were in Seraphina’s time, they continue to be widely influential in the political sphere.

Known members:

  * **Julius** \- Current head of the family, Camilla and Cornelia’s cousin, once served in the army as a cavalier with Dennis of Lovell but hung up his armor to take over after his father’s death, the most level-headed and clever of his family’s generation.
  * **Cornelia** \- Camilla’s cousin, widow of Prince Damian, wife of Sloane, an accomplished wyvern lord who sports severe burns over her entire body, is fiercely proud of her family’s standing and does not take slander of her name.
  * **Aurèle** \- the former and first head of the family, Julius’ father, Seraphina’s cousin, his origins as a merchant made him stand out amongst the nobles with his unabashed honesty and penchant for boisterous drinking, has the best relationship with his people
  * **Nadia**  - Aurèle’s wife, Julius’ mother, formerly her husband’s rival merchant, contributed greatly to the Minetts’ prosperity with her management skills and was the face of their company, an unusually good gambler and negotiator
  * **Seraphina** \- Camilla’s mother, consort to Garon, an ambitious, self-made woman who became a sorceror determined to raise her family’s status after losing her singing voice to a rival consort’s poison.
  * **Josette** \- Cornelia’s mother, Seraphina’s sister, an equally outspoken businesswoman who kept their family business afloat, was a great patron of the arts and had a strong sense of fashion as well as family
  * **Dominique**  - Cornelia’s father, and an accomplished artisan whose wife was once a patron, his most notable works is the art of lacquerware furniture, which he picked up while living in Notre Sagesse and Izumo.



Design Notes and Ideas

  * Okay, clarification, I’ve been mixing up Julian and Julius. It’s Julius, so yeah, do that mental correction
  * Minett comes from the Germanic element minna, meaning “love”. At some point, I wanted to go with a French sounding name, so I could have used Voclain, but I already used that for my Nuzlocke (although the reference would have been funny), and Chastain just sounded odd to me. Ferris was also a potential name but it didn’t suit their personalities.
  * The Minetts love roses. Sure they have crows, but if they could plant roses anywhere, they would totally do it. Nadia liked to experiment with all the kinds of colored roses she could make. One of the potential names for the Minetts was Desrosiers.
  * Camilla is fond of her maternal family (she has reservations about her mother) and would live the rest of her days in Janholt if she stayed single and adopted several children
    * Julius also happens to be good with children, and would willingly make room for said children if Camilla ever asked
    * If he has the chance to marry Dennis, then the kids would help raise all the puppies Dennis takes care of
  * Should Hoshido and Nohr open relations, the Minetts would be the first to jump on board
    * As you can tell, the Minetts aren’t exactly as gung ho about fighting like the Albrands
    * Because they used to be merchants, the Minetts often get misconstrued as weaklings who can’t even lift a sword
    * The Albrands make fun of them but they don’t really mind because they’re buddies, but yeah, the Durands shouldn’t have done that
    * As a whole, they really aren’t combat-oriented, but they’re smart enough to know they can’t win with might
  * Shopping with the Minetts can be a blessing and a curse. Selena is amazed at the kinds of deals Camilla and Nelly find, but can get peeved whenever Nelly scolds her for being wasteful. May the gods help Selena if she goes shopping with auntie Nadia
  * Puzzles are pretty much a running tradition in the family
    * Their main house is full of hidden passages and routes, so much that some of the members like to scare their visitors
    * Although not a member of the family, Leo and Elise love solving whatever Nadia comes up with
      * In Leo’s case, he likes how Nadia doesn’t judge him for getting one wrong
    * To test Aurele, Nadia gave him a series of hoops that had to be assembled to form an engagement ring, and now it’s becoming a sort of tradition for the people in Janholt
    * Julius gives Dennis one of those puzzle rings in the present time
    * Dennis hasn’t quite figured out how to assemble it, nor does he realize that it’s a subtle attempt at a proposal
      * When he travels with Camilla, he whines to Selena about it for help, but she’s like “no, do it yourself, dummy”
      * Selena is ridiculously smug because she’s solved it before and just likes watching Dennis be bad at something
      * Don’t worry, he’ll solve it eventually
    * Marianne has also contributed to the family’s plethora of puzzles, with an exceptionally devious one that has yet to be solved
  * Sydney, Prince Damian’s retainer, really liked the view of the ocean in Janholt and often made visits here with her husband and daughter



### House Lovell

_[Justice binds us](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UT__uiWC7jE) _

> During Nohr’s conquest of the west, this noble house assisted their Nohrian allies in overthrowing of their own king and claimed Esterlyn as their own.Many times throughout history, the Lovells were questioned for their loyalty, but time and time again, they appear to be the most loyal to the throne, despite the fact that they aren’t a founding house. To have the House of Lovell on your side was a very much a guarantee for a smooth transition to the throne, for many of the most noble knights hail from the House of Lovell and often served in the royal military.
> 
> The Lovells are known for very strictly neutral stances in matters not pertaining to the crown, refusing to side with the Albrands and leaving the Durands to die out in the Albrand-Durand conflict. Fortunately blessed with slightly better soil than the rest of the west lands, much of Nohr is dependent on Esterlyn, although the output is often not enough to sufficiently feed an entire empire. Honorable to the very end, the main family of the Lovells decry illegal means to make up for the deficiency and hope to find a solution without relying on the organized crime that plagues their borders.

Known members:

  * **Barnaby** \- Head of house, once a proud Great Knight in his heyday, then a jolly old man who liked walking his dogs in the morning, currently indisposed after a near fatal poisoning by his second wife Beata, 
  * **Silas** \- The younger of Barnaby’s children. After disgracing the family name once by getting banished from Arlcliff, he trained under Sir Duncan of Albrand at Windmire, has not gotten over his childhood friend.
  * **Claudia** \- Silas’ sister, Diantha’s lover, next head of the house, manages domestic affairs and keeps her province afloat despite the burden of supporting the entire country’s dwindling food supply, enjoys making flower arrangements to spice up their estate’s dreary atmosphere.
  * **Dennis** \- Silas and Claudia’s overenthusiastic cousin, has a rivalry with Julian of Minett that might as well be love and owns a lot of dogs of all shapes and sizes, has no inside voice
  * **Ashley**  - Barnaby’s first wife from House Buelen, Claudia’s mother, killed in a minor skirmish with bandits who attacked a Nohrian town a second time after she drove them out.
  * **Beata**  - Barnaby’s second wife from House Cantrell (vassal to Lovell), Silas’ mother, unwilling to stay, Beata poisoned her husband and ran away with her lover, never to be seen again
  * **Ainsley**  - Barnaby’s sharp tongued younger sister, Claudia and SIlas’ aunt, Acted as the head of house until Claudia came of age, now is her advisor and Jakob’s mentor.
  * **Matilda**  - Ainsley and Barnaby’s elder sister, married to Miodrag of Ragnar, has not recovered from the loss of her husband and son
  * **Loren**  - Son of Matilda and Miodrag, Roswitha’s former retainer, died in the second wave of battle between the Hoshido and Nohr for his lady



Quick Design and Idea Notes under the cut:

  * So, let’s talk about names!
    * Lowell/Lovell - English surname transferred to forename use, derived from the Old Norman French byname Louvel, meaning “little wolf.”
    * Other names I would have chosen: Triggs (loyal), Connor (lover of hounds), Ulvestad, Kenyon (little wolf)
    * Makes you wonder if they were inspired by the Wolfskins (although Garou Peak is located in Janholt, but who knows how big Lovells’ home kingdom used to be?)
  * Dennis isn’t the odd one for having so many dogs. It’s common for a Lovell to have one or two dogs. He just has 10 and then takes care of everyone else’s. 
    * Yes that means Silas owns a cute puppy named Argent, who sadly can’t accompany him on his travels
    * Claudia has her own personal greyhound named Kane, the name of a hero from Nohrian legend
  * Yes I’m aware that it’s implied Silas has no sister (See Silas-Elise C Support), and I came up with Claudia before seeing that support. Plus this is an AU.
    * Silas is the baby of the entire house, no joke
    * The Lovells are pretty well adjusted and don’t treat him differently because of his mother’s actions
    * Ainsley tries to make everyone understand the importance of self-reliance, but everyone keeps trying to help him all the time
    * Ainsley had to send Silas to study elsewhere because otherwise the family would continue to be so overbearing
  * House Lovell’s fate depends on Silas’s choice on the player’s part because boy do I love my drama
    * If Silas chooses to defect to Hoshido: Barnaby dies of grief at the news and tells Claudia to bring him home as his dying wish. Now head of the house, Claudia is forced to disown Silas and cut him off from the family unless she wanted Garon to order her entire family dead. Dennis runs into Silas in the middle of battle and pleads him to come home, but dies in battle. As king, Leo may or may not have to punish the Lovells if disowning Silas wasn’t enough
    * If Silas stays in Nohr: Barnaby still dies, although more peacefully. In Conquest, the party returns to the capital for the funeral, as well as other business. Claudia and the rest of her house support Anri’s decisions because of his friendship with Silas.
  * Rude nobles from other houses like to call Lovells something akin to obedient dogs, although doing so on their soil results in getting chased off the estate by the real ones
  * In contrast to the other houses, the Lovells tend to wear more modest clothing, taking after Claudia’s preference for simplicity and disdain for embellishments (a complete contrast to Diantha’s style of fashion) 
    * She rivals her fellow noble head Julian in the art of penny pinching and drives Dennis insane about how thrifty she gets
    * Except Julian manages to look in style despite being cheap. Claudia simply doesn’t care and only wants to appear functional.
    * Claudia doesn’t like to exploit her people’s hardships and spends more time giving away her wealth rather than hoarding it (although she knows the extent of her generosity… unlike Silas)




	6. The Lost Children of Dragon's Blood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The compiled bios of all the deceased Nohrian royal children.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is just the bios and some notes of the various royals. Answered questions will be attached in following chapters, and maybe I'll make better comprehensive lists for those, too.

_"I must maintain a certain distance, even from my family."_

Each ruler of Nohr is encouraged to take several consorts in order to guarantee more than one heir who can succeed them and prolong the royal lineage of Dragon's Blood. King Garon had as many as 13 consorts, and had 14 children. But his reign followed the embers of a civil war, leading to increased infighting among his consorts and subjects, his children caught in the crossfire. Only six of his children survived to the time of the crowning of King Xander, his eldest son, but those who did not survived mustn't be forgotten, hence the purpose of this section.

### Diantha of Lorenzen, First Princess of Nohr

["You're right, Xan. But if you are going to care about me or anyone else in this kingdom, you should take care of yourself first and foremost."](https://soundcloud.com/linh-ng-arc/happiness-fullmetal-alchemist-brotherhood)

While her twin brother Marius carried his father’s decisiveness and courage, Diantha possessed her mother’s patience and virtue. She was the first of the children chosen by Brynhildr, a feat that would not happen again until Prince Leo was born. However, she rarely used the tome and focused instead on the medicinal arts. Diantha treated her other fellow siblings with respect and high regard, even if they did not wish the same for her. She was aware of the blood feud between the Albrands and the Durands, and hoped that through her own actions, she could set an example like her mother did. Sadly, this would not come to be, as the Durands would be annihilated completely, and her brother Marius was caught in the crossfire.

One night, Diantha went missing without a trace. When news of her disappearance came full circle, the court was quick to point fingers at the concubine Irma of Buelen and Seraphina of Minett, who both desired the Brynhildr for their children. In hopes that she was still alive, Xander worked tirelessly to find her, but only found a man named Hans. He was unable to arrest the criminal for his sister’s murder and consequently had him jailed for numerous other crimes. Xander never mentioned the details of Diantha’s death to his other siblings, a mistake that would come back to haunt him when Hans makes his return, perhaps to take another.

### Marius of Lorenzen, Second Prince of Nohr

["Why are you worrying about that? I'm your little brother. My job is to back you up when things get tough, right?"](https://soundcloud.com/linh-ng-arc/happiness-fullmetal-alchemist-brotherhood)

Where the death of Queen Katerina left a gaping hole in the Nohrian people’s hearts the twins filled with some semblance of light into the gloom of Castle Krakenburg, cheery laughter echoing in the halls. While Diantha and their older brother Xander inspired the court with the intelligence and wit they inherited from their mother, Marius was a source of inspiration with the royal guard. The little boy loved to make jokes, especially those involving a play on words. To some men, he was a lucky fool for having once been nearly poisoned by Annaliese of Buelen, saved by Sir Gunter’s sharp senses. Even after the death defying experience, he refused to set aside his good-natured demeanor.

The charming young lord quickly became a warrior worthy of the Lorenzen name. Although he was not able to lay claim to the blessed Siegfried, which belonged to his older brother Xander, Marius was a versatile fighter who could wield heavy swords with ease. The warm personality that continued to follow him into young adulthood won the hearts of men and women who trained with him and learned from him. His military career began when he and Xander set out for their first maiden battle in east Esterlyn where the Hoshidans occupied, demanding compensation for the slaughter of Queen Ikona at the hands of Irma of Buelen. After an attempt for diplomacy failed, Xander and Marius drove the Hoshidan forces out of Esterlyn, and the two were hailed as heroes worthy to be descendants of the great Dusk Dragon Kleo.

The prince was stationed in Marseden Hold in Esterlyn when he received a message from Xander that the summit had failed, and that King Sumeragi of Hoshido had been assassinated. General Horatio then ordered him to head out to the Bottomless Canyon to assist a fortress that requested help. The signal turned out to be a trap by Hoshidans, and Marius, ever the valiant one, fought the enemy soldiers off to protect his men. The surviving men, including his sole retainer, Nichol of Ragnar, carried him back to Marseden, but Marius succumbed to his wounds before they reached the hold. At the great funeral that followed, King Garon and his generals were met with resounding agreement to engage in war with Hoshido, all doubts swept aside.

_Since Marx was renamed Xander for the localization, have a “Great Value” Mars (jk I love my pun-loving cavalier). And of course that would be a trap. Makes you wonder why Horatio blindly sent a prince, of all people, to a place where he would obviously die. Also, wow, I promised to make bios for the dead kids, and I’m almost done. All we have left are Tommy and Mila, but Mila will be coupled with her mom Danica, so I’ll be able to move on to the consorts soon._

  * Mars was growing to be a beefcake by fifteen (puberty hit him earliest out of all the kids), while Xander kinda lagged behind
  * It took me so long to find the name for the side cape Mars wears. Apparently it’s called a medallion cape. It’s supposed to be pattern with dragons, but I didn’t feel like drawing them
  * Xander doesn’t like to admit it, but he envied Mars for the early muscle development and general sheer strength.
    * In fact, he envied his twin sibilngs for qualities he had yet to develop.
    * Diantha was a really good public speaker and owned the most powerful tome in all of Nohr.
    * Marius was super strong for his age. For a while, Xander feared Mars would surpass him and take Siegfried away from him.
  * Nichol and Mars met on a trip to Ragnar, and Mars being the guy he is, chats with the young stable boy. Nichol notably didn’t laugh at Mars’ jokes, and things picked up from there.
    * Did they argue about wyverns vs. dragons? Oh, yes. Yes they did.
    * Those arguments always ended in Nichol pointing out that Mars literaly descended from a dragon, and Mars was like yeah, but they’re totally different from wyverns. Plus, dragons are way cooler than wyverns.
    * They’re the dorks who’d fistfight each other after not seeing each other for years
    * Nichol is notably a less emotional person after what he calls a failure to foresee Mars’s death, though his service under Prince Damian and Princess Consort Cornelia made him a little happier again. A damn shame that didn’t last.
  * He offered Damian lancing lessons early in life, and Xander picked up from there after Mars died
  * For a while, Damian thought Xander treated him as a substitute for Marius, and Camilla for Diantha, but they smoothed out their issues eventually
  * Mars loves to deliver puns to the people he defeats
  * Named his horse Kleo bc he loves dragons so much. Honestly would put antlers on Kleo’s armor helmet if they didn’t get in the way of his line of sight.
  * Roswitha picked up a lot of mannerisms from Marius, so if they were playable, they’d share a lot of crit lines.
  * Xander and Marius had similar sets of armor as cavaliers. Like I said in Damian’s bio, they planned on having matching Paladin armor, too.



### Jeremiah of Lorenzen, Third Prince of Nohr

["I will give up anything in the name of progress. Even myself. Even you. Can you live with that?"](https://soundcloud.com/christine-vo-2/kanascene)

 

Jeremiah grew up hating his siblings, seeing them as competitors. When his mother fell ill to another concubine’s curse and was bedridden for the rest of her life, Jeremiah took it upon himself to avenge his mother. He withdrew himself to his studies at the mage’s temple, thus avoiding much of the bloodshed that occurred among the noble houses. Jeremiah would impress many scholars and mages of his talent thanks to his Buelen blood, contributing greatly to the development of Faceless, but he could never wield Brynhildr, one of the royal family’s sacred treasures and the only tome he set his eyes upon.

The prince especially envied his youngest brother Leo, who surpassed him in every right as a mage, accomplishing feats at an age younger than he. He couldn’t accept that a boy so young could be chosen by Brynhildr, the very tome he failed to possess. One day, in a fit of anger, Jeremiah challenged the other prince to a mage’s duel. Their mentor Horatio of Buelen objected to the idea, but the king entertained them and allowed it.

Jeremiah lost the duel, his pride irreparably damaged, but he wasn’t able to linger on those feelings for very long. The king deemed him useless and ordered Leo, the victor, to execute Jeremiah right then and there. For the longest time, no one would dare speak of his name within the walls of Krakenburg.

_When I came up with Jerry, I didn’t think to have Leo involved with his death, but then I decided that it might help make the story and characters more interconnected. Don’t worry, this is the only one Leo kills (his kill count doesn’t even compare to the others). I wonder if there could be any mage duels, and if they’d be as dramatic and honor-driven as an Agni Kai._

_Quick design notes: Jerry’s sorceror outfit is a simplified version of Iago’s outfit minus the feathers because Jerry is allergic to them. A little bit of 10-year-old Leo in a Dark Mage’s cape with a blouse to cover up his torso because I don’t want to go to jail._

### Damian of Lorenzen, Fourth Prince of Nohr

["Remember this well, Anri. Your body is your body. That is for no one to control. Except you."](https://soundcloud.com/amanda-landry-175867776/arslan-senki-ost-01-shounen-ha-soshite-ou-to-naru)

His mother bade her little prince farewell before her banishment, in which she was mysteriously killed by assassins on the trip. Damian was then placed under the care of his mother’s only friend, Lady Seraphina of Minett, who built him up to be a dangerous man. He developed a way with words and a personality that welcomed all but fooled the weak willed to certain death, a trait his siblings valued greatly and sometimes feared. The prince was also known to never forget a slight. Some say he smiled when he mercilessly slaughtered Theresa of Durand’s children in the massacre and refused to attend the memorial for the fallen family, not even out of responsibility as a prince of Nohr. The man was the spirit of the Nohrian cavalry and struck fear in every soldier’s heart with his black lance and warhorse, thundering down the plains right behind his older brothers.

The great blood feud resulted in the loss of nearly half of the royal children, including Diantha and Marius. After failure to find the truth behind his sister’s murder, Xander shut himself away completely from everyone he knew and answered only to his father and his retainers who perished in battle. Damian and Camilla reached out to him first to bring him out in the open again and reconnect with his surviving younger siblings. Through this, the family was better than completely broken, a quality that would continue to endure to present time.

In his last battle, Damian challenged the Hoshidan Princess Hinoka to one last duel. He fell with grace and a satisfied smile, directing his last words to his family. Touched by the prince’s sense of honor, Hinoka hoped to give her rival a respectful sendoff, but her bloodthirsty generals thought otherwise. Several days after the battle, Damian’s head was put on display before the gates of the nearest Nohrian fort, causing outrage and despair among the prince’s men. Their morale weakened, the Nohrians were forced to abandon the fortress and their beloved prince.

_Arguably, out of all the dead royals, Damian had the happier ending. He survived the blood feud and got to enjoy the relative peace that occurred after Elise’s birth. Jerry survived those years too but he refused to come back to the rebuilt family._

  * Damian personally knew Anri (this revision’s Corrin), and visited him as regularly as everyone else. Anri named his fort Etamin after a star that Damian showed him on one of his visits.
    * i find it hilarious that anri really liked damian’s company, must be why he’s so drawn to niles
  * Damian’s warhorse was named Shabrang, inspired by his mother’s folktales. It was a gift from his father after winning a landslide victory at the cost of his first warhorse. Shabrang now belongs to Leo, who has not changed the name out of respect.
  * Loved all his little sisters because he knew they deserve better than what they got. Except for Liselotte.
    * Damian hated Liselotte’s mom Theresa with a passion and extended his hate to her kids. This didn’t help Liselotte’s problems AT ALL. (honestly if he was a little nicer she wouldn’t be as fucked up).
    * At least Azura benefited from his kindness. She shared tons of stories about him with her Hoshidan siblings. When he died, Hinoka had to deliver the news, but she didn’t tell her how Damian’s body was mutilated.
  * Marius promised that when he and Xander became paladins together, they should get matching armor sets. Since Marius died early, Damian shares this honor with Xander.
    * Guess who else loves talking to bunnies?
  * Damian was happily married to Camilla’s cousin Cornelia of Minett for a good two years. Camilla adored them both. Then Damian died, and Cornelia remarried and went north.
  * He’s had only one, genuine, friendly chat with Hinoka during a brief truce. It was mostly him being really nice, and her death glaring him, but eventually he pestered her enough to make conversation.
    * Hinoka tried to ask more about Anri from Damian, but the guy was pretty tight lipped about his adopted brother
    * In return Hinoka never tells Damian how Azura was doing, and he got pouty about it
    * originally it was ryoma who was damian’s rival but ryoma’s already got xander he doesn’t need another one, also hinoka needs more love.
  * After Damian’s death, Hinoka held onto his signature lance, Black Luna. It becomes a major point of discussion for Hinoka and Anri when Anri returns to Hoshido briefly and comes across it.
  * On Conquest/Revelation route after the final battle, Xander wanders around Shirasagi Castle and finds Black Luna in perfect condition. Hinoka offers Xander to take it home to its rightful place.
  * Damian took on a retainer named Sydney, who died by Takumi’s bow on his maiden battle. Her head was also on display beside Damian’s. The relevance of this information? Not much, but I wanted to share.
  * he and camilla rival each other in kill counts in the royal family



### Roswitha of Lorenzen, Second Princess of Nohr

["I don't think you'd want to be someone like me. Solitude and silence don't suit you, or me, for that matter."](https://soundcloud.com/tyapin-alexandr/20-eternal-separation)

After the poisoning of Second Consort Annaliese of Buelen, Irma of Buelen took her daughter and nephew back to Morbank to live out their childhood. When Jeremiah left to study magic with their uncle Horatio of Buelen, Irma decided to teach her the art of swordplay to ease her of loneliness, and the girl excelled at it. Roswitha returned to Castle Krakenburg at age ten more or less a master at the blade, but spoke little because of her mother’s urging to stay away from the other children of dragon’s blood. Her father welcomed her with open arms, and, impressed by her skill, named her a genius swordswoman of the family, a title she took with great pride.

One of the few people Roswitha was close with besides her parents was her brother Marius, who was eager to cross blades with her. He promised that they would fight alongside each other when she came of age, but this would not come to be when the elder died on the border of the Bottomless Canyon. Not long after, her mother died a knight’s death in the battlefield against a certain Kinshi Knight.At thirteen, Roswitha was allowed to join the army in the erupting conflict and drew her blade for her fallen brother and mother, driven purely by her desire to serve her father, the only living person she felt any closeness to, as long as she was useful to him.

Although she never fought in any major battles on the front lines, Roswitha served the ever expanding kingdom in the south, and helped Augustine of Albrand stomp out rebellion in Fallmount. One of her earliest conquests was a piece of territory in the very South of Fallmount, where she found and attacked a tribe of ice magic practitioners. In a matter of hours, she was said to have slain half the village and brought the tribal chief to his knees when she brought forth the bodies of his wife and daughter. She was known in the army as a notorious risk taker who possessed the devil’s luck for relying heavily on her own ability and strength alone.

When conflict died down, Roswitha returned to find that she wasn’t at all prepared for all the duties expected of the First Princess, now that Diantha was officially dead. With no battlefield to turn to and her initial upbringing disconnecting her from the court, she had become a liability than an advantage to the Buelens, who thought she was ineffective at the negotiation table for losing against the likes of Camilla, who flourished in the realm of politics. When the king no longer acknowledged her in the court, she finally understood the true meaning of failure. Inside, she knew she was too young to meet such lofty expectations, but she was a genius. It was her own fault that she was not making a place for herself in the court. Following a string of failures in domestic affairs, her unpopularity in the court sent her spiraling down to the point that she skipped meetings and preferred to stay in bed, despite her servants’ dismay. On days that she felt restless, Roswitha partook in solo hunting trips far from the castle where she could bask under the moon and feel any sort of joy or accomplishment.

One day, Camilla reached out to her in an effort to reunite the family again and made Roswitha realize her longing for a companionship. Even though she was disheartened that Jeremiah would no longer speak to her, the princess finally made peace with Xander, who had grown less disagreeable after his siblings’ urging to relax at Castle Arlcliff. He became more willing to lend her advice for future council meetings so she would quarrel less with him and receive praise from their father again. Life truly was improving.

Tragically, the princess was found dead on a hunting trip with Camilla, who claimed she wanted to lighten up her sister’s spirits. Her wounds appeared to have been inflicted by a ferocious bear, though some argued that it was a misguided axe on the younger sister’s part. Nevertheless, Camilla was consequently named First Princess of Nohr, and continued to hold the position with no more challengers. Many who suspected foul play wondered if she murdered her sister in cold blood. When Camilla requested for her crown to be constructed with the bull of Buelen in mind rather than the roses and crows of Minett, all was made clear.

_I kinda like reading descriptions like these in some fantasy narrator’s voice, but I know I don’t have the talent or equipment to narrate things myself, haha. Also the royal house finally has a name for this AU._

_Also there were several conflicts between Hoshido and Nohr prior to the main game’s events. The first major one started right after Ikona got shot out of the sky. The second one occurred after Sumeragi died trying to fix the first conflict, and this one ended in an awkward armistice thanks to Mikoto’s efforts, and another one started five years before the story begins and ends not long after Damian’s death, resulting in Nohrian defeat. I’ll index them on the past timeline later._

  * Poor, poor Rose. She was only a teenager, yet people expected way too much out of her so early.
  * For someone who’s very oriented towards battle, Rose cares quite a bit about her image, but not so much as to be a hindrance in battle.
  * She keeps her hair in simple buns and ponytails and wears minimal jewelry, even in formal settings.
  * She later picked up archery because her mom was one, and being a woman of Buelen blood, she has a fairly good magic ability. She wielded a Shining Bow as a secondary weapon of choice.
  * Also she’s a Bow Knight now, because there aren’t enough of named ones in canon
    * Of course made obligatory edits to the original design like closing up the boob window and adding some extra lines
    * She’s also left handed, so I switched the armor around
  * I said her hair was ashen blonde, but I had to saturate it a little more to avoid making her look like Effie.
  * The hair was inspired by Anna’s hairstyle back in _Frozen_. You know I kinda wished I would go back to that canon divergence AU of Frozen I made. The blog’s still up, but idk, I’m using a lot of material from that unfinished AU for this one.



Also fun fact for the day. First Princes and First Princesses (or the eldest living one) each wear a custom crown or circlet of their own.

  * I always like to think the disconnected heart in the center of Xander’s circlet is House Albrand’s motif, hearts (haha griffon hearts)
    * He didn’t chose the design on his own, so Faye, his first retainer and mentor, went and chose one for him. She had really good taste.
  * Diantha’s is a bit more minimal, because I was out of ideas on drawing circlets and pulled the circlet from the custom Robins from Awakening. Diantha didn’t want her circlet to be as eye catching and extravagant.
  * Camilla’s circlet very much resembles the ears of a cow, and I’ve heard her design was supposed to be based off of one, so I went and ran with it, even if I don’t exactly like the comparison
    * I actually made House Buelen’s sigil a bull because Camilla’s circlet resembled a bull
    * Now I’m reminded of [bull leaping](http://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FBull-leaping&t=MTNkM2M2ZTc0ZDE0MDZmY2FlZWNjY2E5MjZlYzQ0OTdmZjVkZjAzZixzcnYyVW5aaw%3D%3D), of all things. Probably because of the classics class I took about the Minoans
  * Rose’s crown isn’t really a crown or a ciclet per se, and is more of a pair of hairpins to stick in the back of her strange braid bun on the back of her head
    * While not as prominently obvious in Buelen representation as Camilla’s homage to her, Rose’s armor and hairpins bear the Buelen diamond motif, which are prominent in standard mage robes.
    * Got the idea from looking at the [clock hand hair pins](http://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.etsy.com%2Fshop%2FAntickquities&t=YmYxMGU0MGFlYWNlOGMzZmFlNGMyNTFjOWJkNzY2MjE1NGI1YWJiMyxzcnYyVW5aaw%3D%3D) I came across at some point.
  * The consorts each get a crown/circlet too, so… (Sighs this is fun but also kinda tiring to design), well at least in Arete’s case my job is done.



### Thomas of Lorenzen, Fifth Princes of Nohr

["Maybe, if we were born in another life, I would have gladly walked with you."](https://soundcloud.com/bartleby-bartlett/dispossession-music-box-ver)

While Theresa of Durand and her daughter Liselotte terrorized the other consorts and their children, Thomas, the older soft-spoken son and brother, didn’t join in their activities and was victim to his sister and mother’s intimidating personalities. A mere pawn in their schemes, Thomas answered to their every whim and was often mistaken as a servant than an actual prince despite his resemblance to his sister. Even so, he never corrected anyone unless his mother saw it fit to use his status as a prince for their advantage.

When he was old enough, Theresa sent her son to Macarath to train under his uncle Paulino of Durand as a knight. However, the boy failed to summon the courage to hurt anyone, and was returned to Windmire for his cowardice. Disappointed, Theresa did not spare time to admonish him and didn’t speak to him again, and her violence against the other consorts only served to distance the two. Liselotte, however, saw a use in her older brother and appeared to him as the only person who cared about him.

At first Thomas thought Liselotte’s schemes weren’t as harmful as her mother and often turned a blind eye to her victims. However, as his younger sister starved for more attention and resorted to more deadly means, Thomas began to realize that she, too, was as dangerous as their mother. And so, he attempted to undo the damage as subtly as he could. He would leave small tokens of comfort to Damian and Camilla, even if they were most likely to be thrown away. In the rare moments he had time to himself, he sought out Azura’s company at the risk of suffering his sister’s wrath if discovered. On many occasions, the prince helped her get back into the castle whenever she was locked out of the castle by Theresa or Liselotte. Their secret meetings came to an end when his sister learned from the maids what her brother was up to. She demanded that she and Thomas be permanently moved out of Windmire to the Durand family estate. As sad as he was, Thomas followed her unquestioningly, because he believed that moving away from the capital would change his sister for the better.

Ultimately, Thomas would never see Azura again, as she was taken away from Nohr in the time he was away, but Liselotte’s efforts to separate them proved to be a deadly move. Soon after, House Durand was accused of treachery and King Garon ordered all family members killed. Had they stayed in Windmire, brother and sister could have been spared by the king, but their presence in Fallmount was a perfect chance for Lady Seraphina to effortlessly carry out revenge against Theresa of Durand. While the Durand estate was burned and razed to the ground, Thomas witnessed the wholesale slaughter of his distant family members. His last moments were spent cradling his little sister’s lifeless body under Damian’s unforgiving gaze, begging for one more chance.

_I honestly don’t have too much on Thomas, because he was mostly filler at first and wasn’t written to be a major player. I did mention before that he was going to be cut, but I ended up keeping him. Poor kid. I can imagine a moment in his childhood where he and Liselotte got presents, and Liselotte would demand Thomas for his present, and he’d just give it to her without question even if he really liked what he got._

### Liselotte of Lorenzen, Fourth Princess of Nohr

["Did you really think we could be friends? You must be foolish."](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJqk-olK2mI)

With so many siblings and consorts to compete for the king’s attention, young, impressionable Liselotte realized she had to either distinguish herself or eliminate competition. Consequently, she followed her mother’s teachings and made many of her siblings’ lives a living hell. The girl ruined Diantha’s medicine cabinet and burned several of Jeremiah’s books. On multiple occasions, she taunted Damian and Camilla, for their mothers were not native Nohrians.

Liselotte was most notably the main source of Azura’s anguish during her stay in Nohr. On one visit, Liselotte offered Azura one of her homemade tarts. Not knowing better, the younger princess bit into it and discovered that Liselotte had “forgotten” to clean out the shards of glass that made it into the filling. Fortunately, Damian, who feared the worst and accompanied Azura, hurried her to Diantha for treatment as soon as he noticed her lip was bleeding.

In return, Damian showed Liselotte no mercy in her final moments. Like the rest of the Durands, her body was hung from the gates of the Durand estate.

_Children can be really mean. Liselotte was a really clever child, though. If she grew up, she would have made a great negotiator. I wonder how fast Nohr would have won if the kids lived (bc 14 dragon vein users vs 5 unless hoshido lost some siblings too)._

_Note: I’ve decided to do a bit of a terminology change. The concubines will now be referred to as “consorts” from now on, mostly because of the connotations of the former term. Garon just went and married them all in this AU._

  * Liselotte used to admire Damian, and they were friendly for the first week when Damian didn’t know who her mother was. Things changed when she revealed her full name.
  * As expected, she’s a real control freak, even more so than Jeremiah, and is pretty mean to her servants
  * She likes hanging around with animals than people because they don’t talk. She liked cats in particular.
  * She had free reign to bother all her sisters, since they are more or less obligated to meet up, though it’s debatable with her brothers sans Damian, mostly because they hardly ever meet up with her the same way.
    * Xander was always following his father around, so he already had little time to hang out
    * Marius practically lived in the main Albrand Estate rather than the actual castle
    * Jeremiah eventually moved to Morbank to devote all his time to studying magic
    * Leo and Anri never met her before, so she’s never harmed them (unfortunately, they’ve suffered through other means)
  * She’s actually genuinely scared of Roswitha, because the older sister would have willingly skinned her alive, though Damian’s punishment wasn’t any better.
  * She’s never tried anything with Xander apart from deliberately misplacing his things to make him anxious, and if she tried anything more drastic, he’d never let her get away with it.
  * King Garon was a busy guy, and actually only really spent time with her a few times (most of his attention was on the older children who were by then old enough to contribute to society)
  * Liselotte’s relationship with her mom Theresa was… interesting. Theresa was so consumed by her revenge to care for her, but she certainly liked Liselotte better than Thomas who was weak and not very useful. When Liselotte started engaging in more troubling behavior, Theresa began to praise her, and Liselotte just picked things up from there.
  * Liselotte and Theresa are supposed to be a contrast to Camilla and her mother Seraphina
  * Liselotte and Thomas also have an interesting dynamic, but I’d rather save that talk for Thomas’s own section.



### Mila/Emil of Lorenzen, Sixth Prince(ss) of Nohr

[(See Lady Danica's Section)](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7536472/chapters/22045358#danica)

[(See Mila's Q&A Section)](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7536472/chapters/26599368)

_[ ](http://imgur.com/AdLpjgk.png) _


	7. Dead Royals Q&A Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Answered questions about the dead royals. Part 1 of whatever number this will end up being.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also, I noticed that the mobile AO3 default platform made stuff like summaries and quotes set to thin text, making some of the bios virtually unreadable.  
> I fixed it by applying a work skin that sets at least the blockquotes to normal style. I can't fix the summary and author's note just yet. Oh, and please apply the work skin I provide for this story, it will make the mobile experience much more enjoyable because the images will not overflow to the side of the screen as badly. Hooray for CSS formatting!

  1. Has there ever been an attempt on Xander's life?
  2. How does the Nohrian Line of succession work? 
  3. Why does Damian hate Theresa of Durand?
  4. Has anyone pretended to be Garon's kid?
  5. Why don't Roswitha and Xander like each other?
  6. What is the 'family restoration'?
  7. Is Xander a father figure to his younger siblings?
  8. Was Roswitha's death an 'accident'?
  9. How does Camilla's obsessive love for Damian play into her love for Anri?
  10. Did any of the dead royals visit Anri?
  11. Do Camilla and Damian regret killing Thomas and Liselotte?
  12. What was Thomas' place in the royal court?
  13. Poor Thomas
  14. Why do Thomas and Anri appear similar?
  15. Poor Thomas (Again)
  16. How did Damian and Thomas get along?
  17. Did Damian knew Azura and Thomas were friendly?
  18. Did Liselotte die fighting?
  19. Why are Rose and Mars so close?
  20. Mars is the pun master
  21. So Mars' personal skill should be about puns
  22. Which of the twins does Xander like better?



#q1: Has there ever been an attempt on Xander's life? He is the crown prince, after all. If somebody wanted one of the other royal kids to be king/queen of Nohr, they'd have to take him out first, right?

_\- Anonymous_

Well I only documented one case where Annaliese tried to poison one of the Albrand kids, but there were plenty of times where Xander could have died before that. Annaliese really, really wanted Jeremiah to be crown prince and had tried a couple times. House Albrand took her attempts as a wake up call to maybe protect their Albrand blooded kids a little more. Annaliese was put under a horrific curse to set an example, to scare anyone who tried to hurt Xander, Marius, or Diantha again.

Of course, Theresa and Irma would come back to try again, but they were a bit more clever in their methods. Xander gets a near death experience around fifteen because Theresa almost got him. Marius wasn’t so lucky after all when he was sent to his death and indirectly assassinated by Irma via Horatio. Diantha’s death is suspected to be a case of this at some point. Meanwhile, Jerry was biding his time to continue what his mother started, but he met his untimely end at the hands of a ten-year-old Leo.

Dia and Xander being the eldest siblings got their first retainers earlier than usual because of Annaliese’s early attempts. The Albrands made sure these kids would only have retainers approved by the Albrand head Augustine. Acceptable choices were anyone from House Albrand or its constituents, so Marius choosing Nichol of Ragnar and Damian choosing Sloane of Ragnar was acceptable. Selena and Laslow were technicalities because they weren’t directly from any of the houses, but they had the Minett head’s good opinion and were therefore allowed to be Camilla and Xander’s retainers respectively.

* * *

#q2: I know the games imply the Nohrian Throne passes through the laws of primogeniture, (oldest child inherits regardless of gender) is that the case here? Or does it favor males before females in the line of succession?

\- _Anonymous_

Yes, the Nohrian order of succession is determined through absolute primogeniture, which is basically as you say, oldest kid gets the throne regardless of gender. It’s hard to suddenly push women aside for men when your ancestor is the greatest dragon queen of all time. Valla also practices absolute primogeniture, too, so Arete was the eldest living child in her family.

As for Hoshido’s case, I would like to think they choose their king by male primogeniture, but I have yet to figure out a good explanation as to why Ryoma hasn’t considered himself king when he’s 9-10 years past the minimum age to take the throne.

* * *

#q3: Why did Damian hate Lisoette's mother?

\- _Anonymous_

Theresa of Durand has done many, many things to make Damian’s life as shitty as possible. She already hated Lady Leila, who was favored more by King Garon than Theresa despite being a foreigner and not knowing the king for as long as Theresa did. Mix that with all the bitterness from losing to Katerina back a few years, and you’ve got trouble.

In reference to my timeline found here*, Theresa was behind his mother’s banishment and consequent death, and has tried many times to kill Damian or get rid of him. It’s not my favorite thing to think of all the things she did (directly or indirectly), but I have to tell you, it was hell. Although the harassment stopped later on, Damian still couldn’t forgive the woman for doing harm to his mother and himself.

He was placed under the care of Seraphina of Minett, Leila’s only friend and fellow concubine as well as Theresa’s greatest enemy. The Minetts were at odds with the Durands for taking a portion of Fallmount to create Janholt. Naturally, Damian was raised to dislike the Durands, further increasing his resentment. Even though he has a better life now, Theresa still found ways to mess with him, but he couldn’t do much because Theresa was top concubine back then. He misplaced his hatred on her children as well. That did wonders for Liselotte, who began emulating her mother, and Thomas, who became Liselotte’s doormat and accomplice.

At the Massacre of Durand, Damian did get his revenge, but it didn’t feel as rewarding as he thought it would. He spent a long few weeks thinking to himself, and came out of it feeling immensely regretful for being a dick to Liselotte and Thomas. He tried to make up for it by helping Camilla bring the remaining siblings back together and treating Anri (Corrin) and Elise well, but that blood was still on his hands.

*link to the timeline is pending

* * *

#q4: Were there any consorts that tried to pass off a child as one of Garon's, despite the father being someone else? Like, they're a consort, but they get with another guy on the side and get pregnant and try to say it's the king's so they can have some leverage, or something. Has that happened?

\- _Anonymous_

Pretty sure Annaliese would have resorted to this if she wasn’t cursed after trying to kill Marius. You’d think Theresa would do this, but she’s more interested in being Garon’s only consort, not getting one of her kids on the throne. She’s really bitter about sharing Garon with anyone else (children and consorts) and not being Garon’s first consort. She’s probably tracked down a lot of possible bastard children and killed them all. After doing that, she scared anyone who dared to try and claim their child is Garon’s because she’d kill the kid and the mother, too, maybe their family if she’s in a foul mood.

Thank goodness Anri was not found by Gunter and brought to the family’s attention until after the massacre because if he was immediately put into the family after getting captured, Theresa would have killed him within a week, “under Garon’s special protection” be damned, and no one would stop her, except maybe Seraphina, but she’s not attached to Anri enough to care.

Irma, who’s actually serious about the succession, already had Jeremiah to champion around and he’s pretty competent, but she finds Theresa’s methods dishonorable (which is hilarious because she’s not above some dishonorable acts herself). Lady Gabrielle was poisoned by Theresa and was therefore unable to conceive, but she strictly follows a knight’s code of honor and wouldn’t pretend to have a child (she’s known for being steadfastly truthful and loyal to Garon).

But there have been cases of falsely related children. Verena of Gehring, although not a consort, has tried to install her daughter Karolina into the royal family by claiming she slept with Garon when he was drunk once (even for a while Karolina thought she was a princess herself), but Karolina fucked up by failing to kill Camilla and threw herself out the window. Camilla’s mom Seraphina and Theresa uncovered everything and got rid of Verena. It’s one of the few times they’ve worked together, and neither of them like to talk about it.

* * *

#q5: Why did Rose and Xander hate each other

_\- Anonymous_

They had very different approaches to situations. Take a situation where they have to capture a guy for questioning. Rose would run through the door headfirst and pin the guy down and start breaking fingers before asking questions. Xander would at least intimidate the guy into talking through words before getting physical (unless it’s a personal matter). Rose would be just fine in a battle, but a direct approach would be abysmally unhelpful in other cases that require more subtlety.

This is why they would butt heads so often in the council meetings, and it drove Xander nuts because Rose’s stubborn behavior would waste time for all the other people in the council who had other things to do than watch a teenage girl be sassy with the crown prince. That isn’t to say he wanted a bunch of yes men, but he didn’t want her interrupting so much. I wouldn’t say Xander hated Rose, but he found her presence a hindrance to the council meetings sometimes and didn’t really desire to help her because of how much trouble she caused. Rose disliked Xander because he didn’t take her opinions seriously enough. At least he didn’t make fun of her for it, although being dismissive of her wasn’t any better and was equally humiliating.

At this time, he wasn’t quite over his other issues and was most definitely not as cooperative as he is in present time with his siblings. He’s still not okay after he’s lost Diantha and Faye, who were so different in personality compared to Rose, and he sometimes projected those feelings whenever he argued with her, like why couldn’t she be like them? Rose is painfully aware she wasn’t anything like Diantha or Faye (in fact Camilla could fill those shoes better than she ever could), and started seeing them as a sort of ideal rather than embracing her own positive traits and improving on them, and that really drove another nail in their relationship.

* * *

#q6: Excuse me if you've already explained this, but what exactly was the family restoration?

_\- Anonymous_

I’d be happy to explain!

The blood feud between the Albrands and Durands came to an official end when the Massacre of Durand wiped out the Durands entirely. These events really broke up the royal family apart (a lot of them were separately aligned with the various factions too). Xander lost his two closest siblings, and later his two retainers. Jeremiah refused to talk to anyone. Roswitha was disconnected from virtually everyone. Camilla and Damian were consumed with guilt over taking part in the massacre. Leo was alienated by the other siblings because all of the above, Azura was gone and probably dead (to them, at least), Anri was discovered in a dungeon, and Elise had only been born, but her mother neglected her.

In the case of Anri, Elise, and Leo, Camilla and Damian wanted to set things right and give their younger siblings the best childhood they could provide for them. The least they could do was have all the siblings get along so that they wouldn’t try to kill each other or be motivated to do so. They promised not to lie to each other or harm each other, or else that would be a repeat of all the awful things that happened three years ago. Jerry was a bit of an exception, but no one could really control him.

* * *

#q7: If like all the dead royals loved do you think Xander would be their new dad like he was with Anri. Throughout the game I just saw Xander as a father figured, so would he be like that with his other siblings

_\- Anonymous_

I personally don’t think Xander would be much of a father figure had the other royals survived, because then he’d leave everything to Damian, Camilla, and Diantha who are more likely to reach out. If Diantha and Marius still lived, Xander wouldn’t be as inclined to really interact with his other siblings unless his twin siblings tell him to. He’d probably start becoming more like his father Garon with a rather distant and unapproachable personality in public.

With Diantha and Marius dead (including Faye and Lockie), Xander really gets put in a position where he really needs to realize that he had other siblings aside from just Dia and Mars and that he needs to take a more active role in the family. In fact, even though he is gets a sort of “promotion to parent”, Xander still struggles with the role and still isn’t as close to his surviving siblings as he would like to believe.

* * *

#q8: Did Camilla purposely kill Roswitha as what it seemed in one of the older comics or was it purely accident because the timeline said a "misguided axe?"

\- _Anonymous_

She was told to “make it look like an accident”, so she did just that.

* * *

#q9: So a while back you did the royal fav siblings and Camilla's fav was Damian and Anri, but Damian died so now it's just Anri. This idea is interesting to me because it means Camilla initially had someone else first and going through conquest it was really MU centred. So my question is does Camilla's almost obsessive love come into play at all during this route? and was Camilla's love for Damian transferred to other kids. Cos my theory for why Camilla like MU so much is that since he's locked away he’s techinically the safest out of her siblings and least likely to die, so loving MU is safe as he can’t actually die on her. And then these feelings basically manifested from all the love for her dead siblings shoved on MU and being able to protect MU. Basically long way around what’s your reasoning for Camilla’s intense protection for Anri is this AU or does it not exist? (this ended up sounding kinda demanding but i swear its a question and im sorry for that)

\- _Anonymous_

Don’t worry! I actually love these kinds of questions!

Camilla is still notably obsessive but with the borderline incest parts toned down because I wanted to focus more on her part as Anri’s sister rather than a potential love interest. To kinda spread things more evenly so Anri isn’t the center of the universe, Camilla’s overprotective love also extends to her other younger siblings as well, since Anri, Leo, and Elise each represent an aspect of her dead siblings. However, she does gravitate more towards Anri simply because he resembles Damian so much for her (right down to the messy hair and cheery demeanor).

And you’re exactly right about Camilla carrying her love for Damian over to Anri. Damian and Cornelia were the closest thing to siblings she had up until Anri came into the family. She loved him the most because they lived together and understood each other’s hardship and suffering in a way others could not. She feels the same way for her cousin Cornelia and is still constantly just a little bitter that her cousin was willing to leave her behind to live up in the north, although it’s understandable that Nelly didn’t want to take part in any more of the drama back in the capital. Diantha and Roswitha were also important people in her life as well, since Diantha was unconditionally kind and Rose was also relatable in the way Damian was. Their untimely deaths (except Nelly who’s alive) certainly factor into her need to be so overbearing on Anri because she doesn’t want him to suddenly be taken away from her like everyone else, and she certainly doesn’t want him leaving her.

On a related note, considering that Camilla also had to kill Rose for the sake of securing her own position and carrying out her mother’s orders, she was also stuck in a position where she was forced to choose between Rose and her younger siblings’ survival. She constantly showers her younger siblings with so much affection because she wants to believe she made the right choice in loving them more than Rose, and to prove that, she has to give her all into loving them. She was not as strong of a person to just say no and walk away when her mother presented her the choice, but now that she has the standing and ability to, she wants to the do the very best she can to protect the ones she loves and preserve the family she and Damian worked so hard to stitch back together. Any threat to this family will be met with harsh consequences.

I also like to draw comparisons between Camilla and Hinoka, so in doing this, I play up the fact that each of them sacrificed something for the sake of their younger siblings. How they react if Anri betrays either of them also is something fun to compare.

* * *

#q10: Your new comic looks great! Fantastic art! But it got me thinking, did any of the dead siblings ever visit Anri while he was stuck in the citadel while they were alive?

\- _Anonymous_

Of course they did! Though by the time Anri was found by Gunter and included into the family, only Damian, Jeremiah, and Roswitha were alive, but they still left quite an impact on Anri.

Damian was the fun big brother that Xander couldn’t be, considering that Damian and Camilla filled in the hole that Diantha and Marius left for Xander. Because the circumstances in which Anri was found in, the older prince was extremely protective of the kid, just as much as Camilla. Damian was really wanted Anri to move in with everyone at Castle Krakenburg, and King Garon was really close to approving his request before he went for his last battle. Anri vaguely knew that Damian was killed by Hoshidans, but didn’t know what exactly happened until Hinoka tells him.

Roswitha was in a really bad place when Anri turned up, and his presence as a little brother was important in her attempt to recover. She was most eager to teach him to use the sword, and was fond of storytime with him, Leo, and Elise. Anri is still convinced that she died in a hunting accident (and oh boy he’s going to have so much fun learning the truth).

Jeremiah has visited Anri a few times whenever Camilla and Damian managed to drag him out to see the kid. Jerry’s not fond of children, however, but Anri turned out to be pretty polite. During the times they interacted at all, Jerry usually had a book to hand over and keep the kid busy, but was patient enough to sit down and explain things if Anri couldn’t understand something in the book he read. For someone who was a real jackass, he didn’t mind Anri all that much. Anri’s more pleasant interactions with Jerry has been a point of contention between him and Leo.

When these three died, Anri was unable to attend the main funeral processions, so the living siblings at the time hosted small memorial services at the fortress with him.

Anri knows the other dead siblings only in passing from the stories his surviving siblings. He eventually does get moved to Windmire slightly earlier than in canon (so he gets to stay in Castle Krakenburg for a year before the game starts), so he’s come across the portraits of his deceased siblings, many of which have been removed from public (he and Elise do explore the castle and find the hidden portraits later). So when Anri makes that big decision in Chapter 6, he thinks about how his Nohrian siblings can’t afford to lose another one of their own because he’s experienced and understood their loss. This isn’t the only reason Anri chooses to side with Nohr, however.

* * *

#q11: So we know that Camilla regrets killing Roswitha, and Damian regretted his hand in the Durand massacre, but how does Camilla feel about being involved in the deaths of Liselotte and Thomas? Does she regret them too, or feel indifferent, or what?

_\- Anonymous_

Liselotte wasn’t all that kind to Camilla, either, since their mothers were rivals with each other, and Camilla’s mother came from a lower class and dared to step up and walk alongside the king and fellow consorts. Camilla wasn’t as personally driven to hate Theresa’s children as much as Damian was, but she didn’t care for them either, so she was indifferent to their deaths personally when she witnessed it, and stood aside until she felt that Damian was beginning to enjoy dealing out punishment a little too much.

However, when she and Damian began to bring whatever was left of their family together, she, too, shared Damian’s regrets, but not as strongly because she didn’t have as much personal baggage with Liselotte and Thomas as much as Damian did. Roswitha’s death was a real eye-opener for her, and she spent a long night afterwards in Damian’s company about this, and the two promised to never follow Seraphina’s orders again from then on.

* * *

#q12: Not gonna lie, I think Thomas is my favorite of the Nohrian siblings you created. His backstory was just so...heartbreaking. Did the other siblings give him no sympathy since he followed Lisolette's orders? Like that last sentence of him having begged Damian for another chance is just so sad.

_\- Anonymous_

A lot of the siblings weren’t really aware he existed, since Garon stopped throwing parties for the birth of his many children after Katerina died. He was either unfairly hated by Damian (and Camilla to an extent), or some of them just looked the other way or had no power to help him. Theresa was quite a dominating figure in the court at her time, so approaching her children with any intention was a really bad idea. Xander, Diantha, and Marius had a lot of trouble befriending their other siblings because of the whole “consorts hate each other” thing and the Albrands were really overprotective. Thomas was in quite a bad place.

* * *

#q13: Reading Thomas's bio made me a little sad. Poor kid deserves better.

\- _Anonymous_

He’s in a better place now, amongst the stars.

* * *

#q14: Y'know, Thomas and Anri actually look a lot alike, in some ways. I guess it's the hair. Which makes me wonder--was that accidental, or intentional? And would, say, Damian notice that and react to it?

_\- Anonymous_

It’s accidental that Anri, Thomas, and Damian have similar hairstyles (I draw Anri and Damian with more angular eyes compared to Thomas). Damian would probably notice the coincidence and just play along, and Elise has pointed out how the three of them look the same when she and Anri find Thomas and Liselotte’s portrait.

From a more intentional standpoint, Anri styles his hair like Damian because he admires him so much. He dresses like Xander and picked up the sword because he admires Xander a lot, too. Except when shoes are involved. He has worn shoes before but only when he has to. Otherwise he goes barefoot everywhere, amazing everyone at how rough the soles of his feet are compared to his other siblings.

* * *

#q15: Did Thomas have a talent in anything? It feels like the poor boy got kicked around from all sides by life.

\- _evonee_

An excellent baker and a talented musician. He was also an eloquent writer and had a strong interest in linguistics. The stories and poems he wrote would become legends, which is really sad because they would be discovered and published long after his death.

* * *

#q16: Did Damnian and Thomas have any form of a relation ship before Damnian killed him? He did know Thomas was Thersa's child but did he like bully Thomas sometimes or anything?

\- _Anonymous_

Damian doesn’t leave bruises or maliciously interfere with Thomas’s life, because Thomas hasn’t done anything to deserve his full attention (unlike Liselotte who eggs him on all the time). What he does do is reject his brother and acts like he doesn’t exist. No one pushes him to get along with him, so he doesn’t do it because there’s no benefit behind it in his opinion. If he has to be in the same room as Thomas, he’d do everything to make his brother feel unwelcome like glaring at him or just plain doesn’t acknowledge him. So yes, he did bully Thomas in a way, but he takes a different form of bullying compared to what Theresa and Liselotte do.

In some ways, Damian blindly refuses to believe that Thomas isn’t like Theresa or Liselotte and wants to do justify his own hate by making himself an unlikable person to Thomas. That way if Thomas ever does hate him and turn out just like his sister, he can quickly turn around and shrug like “Totally saw it coming. He’s just as awful as the rest of those Durands.” But Thomas never does snap, and that astonishes Damian so much he realizes how much of an ass he’s been.

* * *

#q17: Did Damian ever knew Thomas kept Azura company while he was away?

\- _Anonymous_

No, and it was probably a good thing he didn’t find out then. A servant or two probably knew but she didn’t have the heart tell on them to Damian until much later.

* * *

#q18: Did Liselotte at least put up a fight? She's my favorite dead royal!

_\- Anonymous_

I bet that would be a cool boss battle. Imagine, a witch in training in a potions gallery with all sorts of traps and poisons coming at your party. Got any boss theme music ideas?

* * *

#q19: What were Liselotte's last words?

\- _Anonymous_

Aside from a lot of screaming, a lot of insults that probably shouldn’t be said.

* * *

#q20: If Liselotte lived, do you think she would change into a nicer sister of get worse

_\- Anonymous_

It would really depend on what she’d be able to do had she lived longer. Would she be like Damian and successfully kill a few siblings before she realizes what she’s done? Would Liselotte have killed Damian and Camilla if she had more time? Would Damian have learned from his mistake about being dismissive of his least favorite siblings and helped change the family for the better? Would she ever forgive the rest of her family for being spared from the Massacre of Durand, which would inevitably include her mother’s death? Would she give into envy of her younger siblings for growing up ignorant of the feud that ended before they could learn how to walk? There are quite a lot of factors to consider for Liselotte, since she’s had such an impact on Damian and by extension, the future of the family dynamics in the Nohrian royal family.

If I want to be idealistic, perhaps Liselotte would have been able to change. Her mother’s death could be the crossroads where she could continue down the path of her mother or realize that her own actions had contributed a small part to the feud that ended so bloodily. If she went down the former road, Nohr would likely be worse off than when Theresa terrorized the royal court. If she took the latter, she could start appreciating her brother Thomas, and maybe they could take Damian and Camilla’s place to reunite the family. In some ways, I consider her a bit of a wild card.

But this is all speculation, however.

* * *

#q21: If Lisolotte lived (and hopefully didn't kill any siblings along the way) would her and Elise have a relationship?

_\- Anonymous_

If Liselotte changed for the better, she’d spoil Elise silly. If she didn’t, then she’d hate Elise because the girl doesn’t have hardships like she did, although both of them suffered neglect from their mothers.

* * *

#q21: Why were Rose and Mars so close?

\- _Anonymous_

_One of the few people Roswitha was close with besides her parents was her brother Marius, who was eager to cross blades with her. He promised that they would fight alongside each other when she came of age, but this would not come to be when the elder died on the border of the Bottomless Canyon._

They became really good sparring buddies, which I guess is Rose and Mars’ way of making friends. Keep in mind, Xander had trouble keeping up with Marius at first, so it was pretty great to find someone in the family who could spar him without getting knocked around all the time.

* * *

#q22: Is Diantha the older one out of her and Marius? (They're twins, right?)

_\- Anonymous_

They’re twins, although Diantha’s the older twin.

* * *

#q23: Was Marius a pun master when he was alive? From what I can tell in that new fanart it looks like he is. Also poor Thomas he deserved better.

_\- evonee_

Yep. He drives Diantha and Roswitha nuts with it. However, the royal guard loves his jokes. Xander and Nichol are resigned with it and don’t try to stop him.

* * *

#q24: Idea for Marius' personal skill; Crit+10 when equipped with a forged weapon whose name is a pun (from a mechanics standpoint it could be a little tricky, but the idea is amusing)

\- _reginalucem_

You’ve got a good ‘point’ there.

I bet his crit lines are all uns too, like "I spy... a 'sword' loser!" or "don't feel parry bad about this!"

* * *

#q25: Does Xander like Diantha more than Marius?

\- _Anonymous_

He loves them both equally. Diantha just gets one tiny extra point because she’s the one always dressing his wounds after rough sparring sessions with Mars, who he always tells to never hold back. However, he could never truly choose one over the other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More to come, but if you want to binge on everything, there's always the Tumblr for this entire thing.


	8. The Memorandum of N

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A quick summary and some questions about Nyx and her book of wonders.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Still under construction]  
> Aha! I fixed the summary!

Within the confines of the Temple of Kleo was a collection of notes called the Memorandum of N. Scholarly mages say they once belonged to a noble from House Buelen, likely a formidable mage of their own right, yet their name doesn’t exist on the family tapestry. These notes contained hundreds of experiments, ranging from the most devastating of hexes to the most mundane of potent coffee recipes. The author likely documented their findings intended for future readers to carry on their work before passing on shortly after. The most poignant of these experiments is the art of recreating the human form, inspiring Lady Marianne and Seraphina of Minett to pursue a grand research project that would prove a historic milestone in Nohr’s scientific endeavors.

While not entirely perfect human in appearance, the Faceless opened a new myriad of possibilities. The cost of war could be reduced with these earthly creations by constantly keeping the Hoshidans from taking out their fortresses and allowed Nohr to sink their claws into Hoshidan territory without risking their limited armies. The strategy of wearing down the Hoshidans by attacking their crop yields closest to the border worked for quite a while, and gave Nohr confidence to attempt two invasions. Despite their inevitable losses, the Faceless continued to devastate the Hoshidan countryside, gradually wearing the country of the east with their numbers.

The success of the Faceless prompted Nohr’s military leaders to find more possible ideas to add to their operations. Unfortunately, after Lady Seraphina’s death, the book disappeared from its rightful place, with no copies made of its contents, for House Buelen did not allow their most valuable books to be reproduced. Could these hundreds’ worth of potential progress be lost forever?

* * *

> i don't know if it might be a plot relevant thing that you can't say just yet but with nyx writing the memorandum and it being found in the temple of the dusk dragon, in the au, could that mean she's been something like a priestess, or a descendant of kleo? (or least likely, kleo herself?) also, how old is she, more or less?
> 
> \- _Anonymous_

The temple of the Dusk Dragon is one of many, but the particular one that housed the memorandum, the biggest of the temples, belonged to House Buelen and is thought to be at most two centuries old. Nyx is one of many other scholars who attempted to regain the knowledge that was lost with the departed priestesses. Whether she succeeded or not has yet to be seen.

On another note, Kleo died in some heroic fashion and was succeeded by her four children, two daughters and two sons. It’s not really clear whether or not the four founding noble houses are related to any of these children because Kleo’s kingdom eventually merged with another later down the line, and only House Lorenzen seems to possess any dragon-like qualities.

* * *

> You mentioned before the Marianne was the only consort who pretty much said, "fuck this shit; I'm out" so did she steal it when she disappeared with all the notes and Leo's the one who is tasked with tracking her down because it had to do with Diantha's death (possibly?). At one point you also mentioned that Xander and Leo did not get along so could Marianne's possible involvement be the cause of this?
> 
> _\- emi-hinote_

You are correct that Marianne ran off with the Memorandum of N, although how Leo comes to the conclusion that he must find Marianne for the notes has yet to be revealed.

So far, there hasn’t been any strong evidence to say that Diantha’s death (-110) and Memorandum’s disappearance (-20) are related. Although I have yet to make made a more detailed post on the resumption of finding Diantha’s murder, Leo treats the two cases as separate events since both events are quite far apart (about 9 years difference). I’ll add more events regarding the Memorandum in the timeline when I have the chance.

I don’t think I’ve ever said Xander had issues with Marianne, though he probably thought the woman was unsettling at times. I think you meant Jeremiah, who actually had a grudge against Leo and worked under Marianne until his untimely death. Interesting relationship we have there, eh?

* * *

> Perhaps this is just wishful thinking, but what if Marianne took the Memorandum and fled for the good of Nohr? If she could see the negative changes happening to Garon and she knows the destructive forces of the Faceless, maybe she took it to prevent it from being used for violence by Garon or Iago.
> 
> \- _Anonymous_

Even if Marianne ran off with the Memorandum, Nohr still has those Faceless they could always continue to research on and improve. I suppose that at least by running away, Nohr won’t be getting any more new ideas from the Memorandum.


	9. The History of Valla Part I

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stuff pasted from the Tumblr.

### Dragon's Blood

Once there was a kingdom on a hidden isle beyond the reaches of the earth by the name of Valla, blessed by the generosity of the dragon Anankos who loved his underground creations equally, for they all possessed his dragon blood to some degree. He also adored the humans at the surface and held them in high regard, urging his children to reach out and connect with the people above.

One day, Anankos sent his two strongest children, Kleo and Dion, to the surface, each bearing a piece of a precious Vallite metal that would later become the divine swords Siegfried and Raijinto. Daughter and son entered a lawless land and embarked on many adventures that are known in the present day as legends. Welcomed by the people of the surface, the two dragon heroes, with their children, established kingdoms of their own, promising peace among their lands and fair trade. These kingdoms would establish the two royal bloodlines of the sacred dragon’s blood. Today, Kleo and Dion are known as the Dusk and Dawn Dragons respectively from their ability to take shape of such beasts at will, but they have gone by many other names, depending on the language.

Descendants of Kleo and Dion were blessed with the ability to perform amazing feats granted by their dragon blood. As time grew by, however, the lines would become so diluted after many generations to the point that the royal families could only properly wield the legendary weapons and use Dragon Veins. A direct descendant of Anankos would not appear on the earth again until the birth of Anri (Corrin) and Azura.

###  The Order of Anankos

** **

[[VOiD by Hiroyuki Sawano, Guilty Crown OST](https://soundcloud.com/forcize/06-void/)]

> _Out of affection for his beloved children, Anankos arranged a number of priestesses who would make pilgramage between the two kingdoms and Valla to deliver gifts and messages, as well as aid all sons and daughers of Valla in matters regarding peace and commerce as well as cultural exchange. These priestesses already existed in Valla since the kingdom’s creation and consisted of legendary healers who held sway over all bodies of water, for they were extensions of Anankos himself._
> 
> _Upon induction, a priestess must take an oath that dictated secrecy of their trade as well as honor to be the eyes of Anankos, who himself could not leave Valla. The proof of a priestess’s oath were her eyes of gold, as all Vallites are born with red eyes. With the blessing of the father dragon, a priestess was granted access to a wide variety of healing arts granted by water, best learned through understanding the movements of water (hence the strong ties to dance and song)._
> 
> _These priestesses would go down in history as legends. Statues of their robed likeness, clasping their hands in prayer, are scattered about the continent in remembrance for their deeds. There have been no recent records of a living Vallite priestess at the present time, not since the supposed day that Anankos closed away the gates of Valla. The only living proof that Vallite priestesses once roamed the continent is the reclusive Ice Tribe in south Fallmount, who use ice as a conduit for their magic._

That’s right, we’ve got waterbenders. Technically, priestesses vow not to use their skills for violence. Doesn’t stop Azura from trying.

  * The founder of the Order of Anankos was named Thalassa, one of the earliest queens of Valla.
  * In legend, priestesses wore white robes or some shade of blue, and that’s why Azura and Mikoto wear white. Arete liked to wear rich blue colors.
  * Still working out the kinks of how water healing works and how it compares to the likes of rods and staffs, but here’s the gist
    * The act of healing is done by sharing a portion of the priestess’s life with the recipient, though at an exponential cost. A shallow cut would cost one minute from the healer’s life, while the most fatal wounds, a full year.
    * Staffs and rods require multiple healings sessions. Water healing only requires one session.
    * But everything has limits. Theoretically, one could bring the dead back to life (most likely at the exchange of the healer’s own)
    * Thankfully, an average Vallite priestess’s connection to the water isn’t strong enough to produce such effects.
  * Remember those statues that you can post around in My Castle? Well, I guess here’s my explanation for them. Well at least for the ones without the weapons. I always thought each type of statue was some named figures in legend, most likely of Vallite heroes such as Kleo and Dion.
  * Hold on, you say. What do you mean, no more Vallite priestesses? They came to the surface and stayed a while, and maybe had children! Well, you’re onto something, and you know as well as I do that these priestesses aren’t going to have a happy ending.
  * The surface’s attempts to replicate the same phenomena led to the creaton of rods and staffs.



###  The End of an Age

> _Later down the line, the legendary kingdoms of the two dragon heroes were lost to history. Dion’s kingdom, which once stood on the present day Notre Sagesse, was overtaken by a clan of warriors from the East. The only surviving princess from the fallen kingdom married the clan’s lord and continued the divine bloodline. Kleo’s kingdom, although weakened by its less fortunate location, survived long enough to merge with another kingdom from the North. The twin divine swords changed hands, were reforged once more and given new names, Raijinto and Siegfried._
> 
> _The pact of everlasting peace made between the divine brother and sister was also forgotten by the depths of time, only existing as a single clause in ancient texts. The humans waged greater wars on each other, and blood was shed over the land. Man on the surface took advantage of their gifts from Valla, and the descendants of Kleo and Dion abused the priestesses sent to them. Disappointed by such misconduct, Anankos recalled all his priestesses and closed off Valla from any contact, leaving humanity to its own fate._
> 
> _Although Anankos had forcibly recalled all his priestesses to return home, some refused their father and remained on the surface. In consequence, Anankos denounced them as no longer Vallites and severed his spiritual ties to them. All in an instant, all the priestesses and their related kin, children, husbands, and wives, transformed into mist and foam, according to one verse known to bards today. Nohrian scholars interpreted this line as a great plague that swept across the continent, killing almost all men and women who had inherited dragon’s blood or blessing by oath._
> 
> _A father’s actions against his own children contributed to the despair that drove Anankos mad, forcing the Vallites to imprison him at the bottom chambers of the royal family’s castle. The priestesses’ oath of honor became an oath of silence in respect to Anankos’s vow to never see the surface again. His eyes and ears cut off from the rest of the world, including his own people, Anankos suffered by himself._

Haha, what if Fire Emblem had codex pages with stuff like this scattered about the maps, like in treasure chests or smth? Better get them all before some thieves run away with your world building.

###  The Fire Emblem

> _The tears Anankos shed on the day of his imprisonment pooled together and became a concentrated portion of his power embedded in a single stone of blue fire. The aptly named Fire Emblem served as a promise between the Vallite people and Anankos: if the dragon could extinguish the burning hatred in his heart and reclaim his love for humans again, he would reopen the gates to Valla once more, and bring forth a new age of prosperity._
> 
> _Through this stone, the returning priestesses were able to harness a new level of power. In addition to the healing arts, the Vallite priestesses could create a mist meant to calm the mind and shroud one’s presence. With many priestesses each maintaining a barrier, Valla was successfully hidden away, and Anankos would be able to hang onto the vestiges of his sanity while in hiding under the castle. Eirene (Mikoto) would use this ability as a priestess to create a barrier of nonaggression around the Hoshidan capital._
> 
> _The Fire Emblem was encased in gold to be worn by the later kings and queens of Valla. The hierarchy of the Order of Anankos changed such that a member of the royal family of Valla always served as the head. After much time has passed, most Vallites thought of the mad dragon as merely a deity, a figment of legend. Only the royal family knew of Anankos, who remained trapped in his chambers beneath the castle.  
>  _

You know, I thought that the fire emblem was Azura’s pendant when the game was first announced, but then it turned out to be an glowing chainsaw. I guess this is my chance to make my dreams come true!

* * *

###  Dragonstones

> _Despite what many people believe, the Dragonstone is only a recent invention on this continent. During her stay with the Wind Tribe, Eirene experimented with her command over water and attempted to create a replicate Fire Emblem. This resulted in a blue stone that certainly did not hold the same amount of power as the official Fire Emblem, but it had other uses._
> 
> _One day, Prince Sumeragi of Hoshido came in search of a rumored Vallite Priestess living among the Wind Tribe. He hoped that she could cure his father’s nightmares that could not be put to rest by the best healers in Hoshido. To his luck, the curious blue stone was the solution, and their meeting cemented Eirene’s place in the Hoshidan court as royal healer and Sumeragi’s eventual wife under the name Mikoto._
> 
> _When Sumeragi’s father passed on, the Dragonstone was returned to Mikoto, and she kept it under lock and key in her residence. When Azura received her training as a priestess, Mikoto shared the location of the Dragonstone to her apprentice but would not tell her how she made the stone to begin with. All her niece needed to know was that it was a failed attempt to recreate the Fire Emblem._
> 
> _Upon Anri’s return and Mikoto’s death, Azura was desperate to find a way to help Anri retain his human form without relinquishing her Fire Emblem. She hypothesized that since the Dragonstone was a lesser Fire Emblem, it could provide the same function of helping Anri stay human. She brought out the locked stone and kept it by Anri’s side while he recovered, and was pleased to find that the prince stopped phasing in and out out of his dragon form and could now voluntarily transform. This would prove to be a great advantage to her plans._

As for the post’s opening picture, I looked to this on reference, mostly from the Cipher cards. I guess I was right on the money for this one? Though it’s hilarious how Azura’s pendant is so much smaller. I guess size doesn’t matter.

So, new rules, Dragonstones are an exclusive weapon to Anri (Corrin) and eventually Kana, and can’t be bought at vendors anymore. The Archanean rules of Dragonstones don’t really apply meaning that Anri and Kana can use the same Dragonstone without repercussions, since these Dragonstones were created through different means.

They also serve different purposes, since the Archaenean Dragonstones were meant to allow dragons who took human form to temporarily go dragon. These dragonstones work in reverse. Without the dragonstone, a Vallite forced to trainsform will permanently stay dragon and the transformation is quite painful, so the stone allows them to transform safely but also help them retain human form. You could say it’s a more primitive form of the Archanean Dragonstone.

And how do these Dragonstones compare to Beaststones? I guess Beaststones are more common to find in this AU, as there exist actual clans of Kitsune and Wolfskins.

### Discussion

> I could def see Valla as having Greek influences, but considering not information is given (fashion, exclusive classes, etc.) I feel like a blend of things could work. Maybe something along the lines of the Aztec Empire or early Byzantine Empire.
> 
> \- _Anonymous_

I did think of Aztec pyramids looking at the invisible castle’s exterior, and Anankos’s mask definitely reminded me of the Hindu deities. And a Byzantine touch isn’t be a bad idea.

I do wish there was more information, like which part of the designs came from where. Or the clothes! Like… The only closest thing we have is Azura’s dress, though I’m not sure what it’s supposed to resemble.

* * *

> The Vallite Palace actually seemed more like a Ziggurat from the Mesopotamians/Babylonians to me at least.
> 
> \- _Anonymous_

Yeah, you’re right! I used the wrong term, sorry!

* * *

> The name "Valla" reminds me of Valhalla, so I always pictured as something heavily influenced by Norse mythology, but also with an emphasis on water because of the whole "ocean's grey waves" thing :) So... something out of How to Train Your Dragon?
> 
> \- _chidorinnnnn_

I saw the whole Valhalla thing on the wiki, though I’m hesitant to put Norse influences into Valla’s design, mostly because it’s Nohr’s thing. I would certainly believe that some parts about Valla may be tied to the Norse aspects of Nohr. Perhaps Valla used to be in contact with the world but shut off for reasons, so then many, many years later, Nohrians on the surface came to believe that Valla was a sort of our version of Valhalla. The whole deal with Anankos and dead people helps.

* * *

> Are Kleo and Dion manaketes or do they travel in dragon form? How do they look?
> 
> _\- Anonymous_

Much like how Anri and Kanna are dragons, they can transform at will. They aren’t Manaketes since the principles behind their ability to transform isn’t like the Manaketes.

I can’t draw up a good picture of them, but the canonical crests of the Dawn and Dusk Dragon are a good place to start. Since they were earlier generation of Vallite dragons and judging by Anankos’ size, they were rather large, about three times Anri’s size. Kleo was understandably colored black and purple, while Dion was white with red stripes. Between the two, Dion has the longer, multi-pronged horns similar to what Anri also has, while Kleo sports extra horns down her back and is more slender legged than Dion.


	10. Dead Royals Q&A Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More answered questions about the various dead royals.

  1. Damian and Azura's history
  2. What did Camilla think of Azura when Damian was around?
  3. Were there any other kidnappings besides Diantha's?
  4. Was there heavy romance between Cornelia and Damian (and Sloane)?
  5. Does anyone else besides Damian calls Camilla 'Milly'?
  6. Do Sloane and Cornelia hate Hinoka for killing Damian?
  7. How did Diantha grieve for Mars?
  8. What if Diantha or Damian survived?
  9. How did Diantha and Xander take Mars' death?
  10. What do you imagine the royal kids would sound like?
  11. What did the royal siblings do together besides sparring?
  12. Did the royal siblings ever go on vacation together?
  13. What do the royal siblings' names mean?



#q1: Could you describe the history and relationship between Damian and Azura? They seem adorable together!

\- _Anonymous_

Azura first met Damian when she spied on the other princes and princesses training out in the courtyard under the setting sun. She had not been old enough to participate in these exercises, so the best she could do was watch whenever her mother was busy. Damian was easily the odd one out in appearances, since she had never seen him before. When everyone else thought she was a servant’s daughter and let her be, he strode towards the pillar she had been hiding behind and invited her to come observe at a closer distance.

“The view is far better in the open than behind a tall rock,” he said.

Azura was hesitant to take his hand, but soon she was sitting on the stone benches, awed at how fast and powerful her brothers and sisters were. Most of them didn’t pay her any further attention and left as soon as they were dismissed, so she was surprised when Damian stayed and asked to walk her back to her mother. Such kindness in the castle was hard to come by those days, and she accepted his offer in a heartbeat.

When Damian and her mother Arete met in a study where they found her, she thanked him for looking out for her daughter whenever she couldn’t do so. To see her mother be so gracious to the prince made Azura happy, and from then on, Azura would seek him out whenever she had the chance. In the months Damian was in Krakenburg, he delivered small gifts to her, like a doll or small golden bangle. On nights the boy practiced alone, he let her stay and watch and often engaged in conversations, something Azura couldn’t dream of having with any of the other siblings, who often ignored her or sometimes threatened her (except for Thomas, who kept her company whenever Damian was away).

Damian later learned that she was practicing how to dance like her mother did, and he was even more eager to teach her the kinds of dances he learned from his mother. They were much more lively and energetic than the calming, graceful ones Arete taught her, but she was happy to learn them all. On some nights, he would take her out to go stargazing on the rooftops, and they would share their favorite constellations and stories. These nights brought levity to the little princess’ days in Krakenburg, and that had her wondering about the future of the so called family she was a part of.

“Do you… Do you think we can all be happy?” She asked one night as she recalled the coppery taste in her mouth when Liselotte offered her a tart laden with glass. “Without being angry at each other?”

The question struck her brother like lightning, and his expression turned pensive.

“I wouldn’t know,” His voice wavered. “To be happy together, we’d have to say sorry to each other like nothing bad happened.”

On the same night, she asked her mother for clarification.

“I believe the word he was thinking of was ‘forgive’,” Arete quietly explained as she laid her daughter in her bed. “To forgive someone is sometimes a hard thing to do, depending on the circumstances.”

After Arete’s death, Damian made sure Azura wouldn’t suffer as much as he did when his mother died and protected her from Theresa’s attempts to get rid of her. Since she had no guardian aside from the king, Damian had planned to bring her to his aunt Seraphina. What he couldn’t account for was the fact that Hoshidan ninjas were lying in wait to take his little sister away. He had tried to chase her kidnappers down, but to no avail. When the news of Azura’s disappearance spread, he heard Theresa laugh the loudest at the princess’ demise, and Damian had never been angrier.

* * *

 #q2: What did Camilla think of Azura? They were both really close to Damian, after all, did that have any impact on how they treated one another?

\- _Anonymous_

Camilla didn’t like how Azura was stealing some of Damian’s attention, but she couldn’t truly be angry because it’s not like Damian didn’t love her any less when he became friendly with Azura. To her, Azura was a stranger who was far younger than her, and Camilla doesn’t quite get what’s so great about hanging around with little kids (give her a few years, though). It doesn’t help that Azura often spent much of her time hiding from everyone, either out of fear that they’d harm her, or that she just didn’t want the attention. After the whole issue with Verena, Camilla was even more wary about getting close to her other sisters, so that really put a lot of distance between them.

Now that Azura is alive and well, and constantly following Anri around, Camilla has much reason to be worried. Although she knows Damian would have welcomed her with open arms, she can’t do the same. After hearing of Silas’ account of how Azura may or may not have introduced herself by bringing acid rain on top of Anri and his party, Camilla sees her as a threat to the stability of the family she and Damian put back together. She’s noticed the commonalities between Anri and Azura’s strangeness, but neither of them sound willing to say what they’re up to.

* * *

#q3 Were there any other kidnappings besides Diantha? Since, yanno, kidnapping a princess is a pretty big first crime (since I'm pretty sure it's not Hans)?

\- _Anonymous_

Damian was subject to a kidnapping organized by Theresa after his mother’s departure and was almost sold off as a slave. He was saved by Seraphina, thankfully.

There’s also Azura’s kidnapping, although the people who made a big deal out of it the most was Damian and several of the servants who were nice to her while the rest of the court was indifferent or called good riddance to her disappearance. Damian did try to hunt down her kidnappers, but underestimated a ninja’s ability to hide themselves, so the guy was convinced she died until Hinoka slipped up about her whereabouts in one of their duels.

* * *

#q4 Was there heavy romance between Cornelia and Damnian (and still today Sloane) or are they just professional?

\- _Anonymous_

Although they weren’t the most sickening sweethearts, Nelly and Damian wanted to make the best of their marriage and that mutual understanding brought forth a kind of deep appreciation for each other that they couldn’t find as easily with other people. Sloane was also a wonderful addition and helped them stay grounded (oftentimes he was their mediator). Even if Damian hadn’t died, the three of them would have probably moved up to Vandale at some point anyways.

That aside, Damian is a complete sap and makes sure everyone knows he loves his wife. Sloane is more low key.

* * *

#q5 is Milly Camilla's nickname because that is real cute. Also if it is does anyone else call her that?

\- _Anonymous_

Yep, that’s what Damian and Cornelia called her back in the day, and Rose used to call her the same thing. No one really calls Camilla “Milly” anymore unless Nelly will be coming back (and she will). Beruka wouldn’t dare call her that for the sake of preserving distance, and Selena knows better because she’s been with Camilla the longest of the two and knows how Damian’s death and Nelly’s departure affected her.

On a somewhat related note, Dia, Xan, and Mars addressed each other by their nicknames ever since they were kids, and Damian started picked up on the nicknames when he got closer to the trio. These days, Xander really doesn’t like to be called “Xan” very much, although once in a while, he lets Laslow and Peri off the hook whenever they call him that.

You’d think the other siblings would pick up on this naming scheme, too, but Anri, Leo, and Elise tend to be more on the formal side and call their siblings by their full name or just “Sister” and “Brother”. Very rarely does Anri attempt to call his older siblings by their nicknames because he doesn’t like seeing them flinch at the mention of those names.

* * *

#q6 Do Sloane and Cornelia hate Hinoka (and the other Hoshidan royals)?

\- _Anonymous_

Unless any of them do anything to dishonor Damian’s death, Sloane and Nelly don’t have any personal issues with the royals, since Damian approved of the duel to the death.

* * *

#q7 How did Dia grieve for Mars when he died?

\- _Anonymous_

After several days of crying and denial at the funeral, Diantha was blank for a full week because she couldn’t believe that Marius would not be coming back. While Xander had to shake off the grief and hurry to the front lines, she stayed behind before joining him, but clearly she wasn’t the same person by then. She kept in contact with her friends and acquaintances, unlike her brother, but she didn’t come to as many outings with them and usually elected to stay in her quarters where she consumed herself in medicinal studies. She also started taking care of her father and his rapidly declining health as an excuse not to meet up with as many people, although she genuinely cared for her father.

Although she didn’t ever drive herself into a ragged state from the grief, she did change her dressing patterns. Gone where the usual light pinks and blues, and in came the colors black, and sometimes deep red or purple. Instead of wearing black for one full year like tradition said, Diantha continued to wear black right up until the day she died, except when she was treating her father (she didn’t want to make her father more depressed than he already is). No one knows for certain how long she would have kept on doing that, but it would certainly be longer than acceptable.

* * *

#q8 How different would FE Fates be if Diantha or Damian survived? (Those two are my favorite siblings ^^ )

\- _Anonymous_

Knowing Diantha’s desire not to fight, she’d probably be able to tell everyone something is wrong with her father like she wanted. Then she’d try to reopen dialogue with Queen Mikoto, and two less wars could have been prevented.

As for Damian, Nohr and Hoshido would have remained in conflict with no gap in between his death and Anri’s capture. Since they haven’t lost yet, Nohr would not have lost their momentum. Who knows, maybe they could have secured at least some small portion of Hoshido as their own, which would be good enough for Nohr but will worry the Hoshidan capital, the only area that is protected by Mikoto’s barrier (its range has been limited to the Wall of Susanoo, which is only a quarter of Hoshido). Many would agree that such a conquest is good enough, but Garon would want to seize more land.

* * *

#q9 How did Dianatha and Xander react to Mars' death

\- _Anonymous_

They were in complete shock. They couldn’t fathom that Marius could die so easily like that, for he was the strongest of the three of them. It’s a double whammy for them since they also learned of the train wreck that was the Chevois Summit that resulted in the death of a Hoshidan king (and possibly one of his children) and the sudden dip in their father’s health. Xander did what he usually would, occupy himself in the war effort, while Diantha wore black for a full year and focused solely on helping her father get better, but she was failing on that end, too. They spoke as if a crucial part of them was missing, forever lost.

Only until after Diantha’s death did Xander learn who was responsible for Marius’ death. One of his trusted fellow generals, his father’s trusted friend, his godfather, dropped to his knees and told him that he had been the one to deliberately send the second prince to those mountains knowing that he was going to die. Although the late Irma had been the one to persuade him to send Marius out, Horatio still blamed himself for his weakness and was willing to face the chopping block. Xander was understandably unable to speak for a while, but he couldn’t bring himself to kill the man. He was still grieving for his brother and sister, and to order his godfather’s death was to cause pain to himself. In the end, he accepted Horatio’s resignation but told him to never speak to him again.

* * *

#q10 What do you imagine the royal kids would sound like?(i.e. their voices) Kind of a stupid question, but I'm admittedly curious.

\- _Anonymous_

Ooh, haven’t considered something like that until now… let’s see what my journey through VA land takes me.

  1. Diantha - It’s no secret Dia was based off of Euphemia li Britannia, so [Michelle Ruff](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K695k9C5hws&feature=youtu.be&t=13s)? Or maybe a little less pitch like [Alexis Tipton](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WuoRDpmbt7o&feature=youtu.be&t=9m52s).
  2. Marius - [Troy Baker](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9spFj3Z2F0&feature=youtu.be&t=20s). Sounds like someone who’d be Xander’s brother (or maybe just Xander himself) but more carefree and easygoing.
  3. Jeremiah - [David Vincent](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqwEsRPHFHI). Or maybe some of Crispin Freeman’s more snooty voices.
  4. Damian - Uh… who voiced Nightwing again? [Neil Patrick Harris](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGMvHTOa_C4&feature=youtu.be&t=1m22s)? [Sean Maher](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGMvHTOa_C4&feature=youtu.be&t=2m26s)?
  5. Thomas - [Josh Grelle](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfyUm-JCP3Q&feature=youtu.be&t=17s). Always thought he’d be a bit on the younger sounding side.
  6. Roswitha - [Lauren Landa](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZ-8gz3XaK0). A touch on the tough side, but still young. If you think she should sound less gentle and needs more springiness, then [Caitlin Glass](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohaSUKGhutk) is also good.
  7. Liselotte - [Mela Lee](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mPaH0ZKf7o), proper but condescending. [Kira Buckland](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKqG7fYWYH0) sounds great, too.
  8. Emil/Mila - Speculatively, [Cristina Vee](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Be1UWRovZ9E&feature=youtu.be&t=24m57s) for some peppiness. or [Lindsay Seidel](http://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/lindsay-seidel/) if you want to keep them more ambiguous (refer to her work as Nagisa Shiota).



* * *

#q11 Did the Royal siblings play cards together or any sports? Or did most of their fun was sparring?

\- _Anonymous_

They did plenty of other things aside from sparring, too, considering how Xander didn’t really get the hang of sparring until later in his life.  
  
Hmm… playing cards, I’d say both Damian and Marius would pick all sorts of card games up from friends in the Royal Guard, and then they’d try to teach the others if they haven’t learned the games already. Damian finds the idea of strip poker really fun, much to Xander’s horror, and Sloane has gone undefeated in that category for a long time.  
  
A lot of them really like to appreciate the performing arts. Diantha and Marius never pass up the opportunity to go with daddy Garon to Cyrkensia. Xander would come along if he feels he has nothing else to do (he secretly enjoys them), and later on, Camilla and Damian would come along and keep Xander company. Roswitha personally finds operas really boring, but would come along if there are dancers. By the time Leo and Elise were old enough to go traveling, Garon made less frequent trips to Nestra with his kids so the time in game when the cast go to Cyrkensia is both Anri and Elise’s first time, and Leo’s second time.

There’s also horse polo in Janholt, so wading in beaches isn’t the only thing to do there. Almost everyone in the family are adept horseback riders, so might as well have some fun with that skill. Damian especially likes this sport, and Xander can get really worked up over winning. The retainers pitch in, too (maybe invite Anri’s family when the war is over), and you’ve got a Battle Royale, no DLC required.

* * *

#q12 Did the Royal siblings ever go on vacation together

\- _Anonymous_

Not as an entire group. Even Garon knows that forcing all his kids to come along to some outing is just asking for a disaster. But some of them travel in smaller groups.

Xander and the twins go on regular trips to the Albrand estate, so they’re quite acquainted with their grandfather Augustine. Damian and Camilla travel together a lot, and at least one of them is an adrenaline junkie and will go to really dangerous places for fun.  
After the family was put together again, everyone sans Anri would go somewhere like the beaches down at Janholt or something like that. Anri is jealous of all of them. Most likely after the end of the story, he’d try to choose an administrative job or position that involves a lot of traveling to make up for all the time he lost.

* * *

#q13 now we know about danica's and her child's name meanings, so can you tell us about the others? also, how does one pronounce roswitha and diantha?? i found different pronunciations for rose but none for dia, im guessing hers is either like the name dianne-tha or dee-uh/diya-ntha since it's of latin origin (i think? like the flower dianthus?)

_\- Anonymous_

I’ll give my explanations for the consorts’ names later, but I can talk about the kids’ names now and ramble about why I chose them.

  * [Diantha](http://www.behindthename.com/name/diantha) - “heavenly flower”
    * I did say a while ago that Diantha was originally named [Karolina](http://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.behindthename.com%2Fname%2Fkarolina&t=NjlhMDQ4ZjJhMThkMmViNWI1OGE0YTAwMDNhZTc5M2UwNzRhODUwMCxmTkkwY3c2ZA%3D%3D), which didn’t reflect her character as much as Diantha.
    * Just like how flowers don’t last forever, Diantha died before the beginning of Fates
    * I pronounce her name as “dee-yan-tha” if that makes sense, because her nickname is pronounced as “dee-yah” (mixing it up with Dwyer’s Japanese name, but hey)
  * [Marius](http://www.behindthename.com/name/marius) -  the Roman god of War, “male”
    * I was looking for names that fit well with the Roman theme of Nohr, and then randomly remembered Marius from Les Miserables
    * Turns out that named works really well with his character and also the country he comes from
  * [Jeremiah](http://www.behindthename.com/name/jeremiah) - "YAHWEH has uplifted”, an Anglicised version of the Irish name _[Diarmaid](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diarmaid)_
    * I haven’t discussed how religion works in Nohr, although I’m not sure if I could ever explain it well, so I’m not sure what it would mean in this AU
    * To admit that I did draw some inspiration from the likes of Code Geass while writing this AU, I named Jerry after good ol’ [Jeremiah “Orange” Gottwald](http://codegeass.wikia.com/wiki/Jeremiah_Gottwald). Not alike in personality at all.
  * [Damian](http://www.behindthename.com/name/damian) - “to conquer, master, overcome, tame”
    * I’ve said before that choosing his name was extremely difficult, and he had changed names a lot
    * At some point he was Benedict (”blessed”), then he was Esme (”esteemed, loved”). I didn’t choose Benedict because it sounded too much like Benoit
    * In the end, I chose Damian because I just happened to like the name (and he was like a demon to Liselotte and Thomas), and nothing is a Lorenzen name without meaning conquest somewhere
    * I guess you could say he overcame his thirst for revenge, although he did it a little too late
  * [Thomas](http://www.behindthename.com/name/thomas) \- “twin”
    * Used to be Liselotte’s twin brother before he was moved up the age ladder
    * He might have been mixed up with Stephen, who was one of the kids I dropped from the family because there were too many
    * I really just picked this one out of a bag
  * [Roswitha](http://www.behindthename.com/name/roswitha) - “fame, strength”
    * Another name that denotes power like a lot of the other names
    * I pronounce Rose’s name as “ros” (like Ross) “wee-tha”, but how does the nickname Rose make sense? Maybe it should be “Rose-wee-tha”
    * This was originally a name I had in mind for Frozen Hans’ sister in an old AU I came up with for his expanded Westergard family of 19 siblings. Rose was based off of her, after all.
      * At that time I looked up names of people from Denmark’s royal family so I may have found the name “Roswitha” there, I think. I didn’t name this sister Roswitha in the end and settled for Edith Westergard.
      * Like Rose, Edith was a lady of war, but instead was broken down by the royal court because her mother was a commoner
    * On another note, Mars and Damian’s death was based off of this Frozen AU where Hans W.’s lost his two most favorite brothers who were sent to their death for having commoner birth. Thomas was based off of another of Hans W.’s brothers who went mad after said brothers’ deaths.
      * It seems off topic to talk about Frozen, but I really did draw a lot from this abandoned Frozen AU because of really similar situations in both stories
      * [I should just make a separate post for that or redirect you to that old blog for people to make comparisons or be disappointed I made this AU to make Hans look sympathetic.](http://i-as-future-kings.tumblr.com/) (I meant to keep him as a jackass but with more fleshed out reasoning)
  * [Liselotte](http://www.behindthename.com/name/liselotte) \- a combo of “Lise < Elizabeth” and “Charlotte”
    * I don’t think I have a reason to choose this name aside from thinking “I need a German name, let’s scour the list!”
    * Also favored this name because Valvrave the Liberator is one of my many guilty pleasures kind of shows.




	11. Relationship Progression in the Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Exactly what it says on the tin.


	12. Questionable Decision #1: Maids & Butlers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stuff from the Tumblr site, so it's not exactly new.

And now for a new segment: Questionable Decision, where I talk about writing decisions for the AU and discuss my reasoning. The topics are mostly stuff I’ve decided on cutting or rewriting that is a drastic change from canon. Most of these decisions are already set in stone, so changing them is not really possible.

So, to begin, I’ll start by talking about our maids and butlers.

**What’s staying:**

  * **Flora** : Takes Felicia’s role as the representative unit from the Ice Tribe.



**What’s not staying/changing:**

  * ****Lilith** : **Now a full time maid with some of Felicia’s traits and talents. No longer an dragon of the astral realms, but one of Valla.
  * **Felicia** : Cut. Felicia is either Flora’s dead little sister or just plain doesn’t exist. I’m still deciding.
  * **Jakob** : Cut? Traits will be spread out among other characters. Will likely be demoted as butler of a minor character, or of a major character besides Anri (Corrin).
  * **Gunter** : Stays as the old mentor, but reworked backstory.



* * *

Now, before anyone decides to set me on fire, let’s talk:

**Too Many Servants**

“What, gadaursan?!” You say. “That’s absurd! Of course a prince(ss) would have a ton of servants! What are you whining about?!”

That is true, but plotwise, there’s too many for me to handle. I fully intend to flesh out their characters and roles in the grand scheme of things, but when there’s so many servant characters, things are going to get repetitive. There’s also the whole thing where the servant you don’t choose magically showing up in the middle of the story, saying they went running around in the astral realms before finding you and then lose a lot of plot relevance. Like seriously, I played Birthright as a female Corrin so Felicia didn’t come in until much, much later, and then when the whole thing with her sister happened, I didn’t feel as strong of an emotional punch. Since I’ve more or less dropped all notions of astral realms from the story, I decided to cut some of the characters out.

Plus, it’s totally unfair that the main characters gets like seven retainers when all the other royals get two. Yeah, sure, the royals probably had more than two, but I’m not about to create more maids and butlers.

**Felicia**

In all honesty, I was so tempted to hate Felicia at first solely based on her Japanese voice acting and whole clumsy maid shtick. In fact, the English dub was a milestone improvement for me (never understood the negativity around that I love her awkwardness). The supports made me appreciate Felicia so much more than I expected, so I’m really, really sad to cut her out.

My issue with Felicia is that she kinda just sorta pales in comparison to her sister in terms of story. Like, she’s a great character, but she didn’t do much after the Ice Tribe Village chapter aside from be a second person for Corrin to talk to on certain maps when it’s not Silas or my siblings. Like, where are you Felicia? Come back so I can talk to you more! Now that I’m in the middle of rewriting things, it’s gotten so much harder for me to figure out what to do with Felicia.

**Lilith**

I’m sure many of us wished Lilith had more screentime, so making her a full time maid for Anri sounded like a good idea, but then now we had the issue of too many servants again. I honestly didn’t get much out of her original character to begin with, either, so that’s how I decided to combine her and Felicia together. Also the Astral and First Dragons won’t exist or be mentioned any further in this AU, so that means reworking Lilith entirely from the ground up in background.

I can’t reveal much about Lilith’s new backstory, but she comes from Valla, like Mikoto and Arete, and took a dragon’s form to act as a messenger between the two sisters when they were living on the surface. When Arete was killed, Lilith was gravely injured and reverted back to a human form. She was rescued by Anri a year later and was allowed to work as his servant soon after. Because of the extent of her injuries, Lilith has no memory of her life in Valla or her role as Arete’s messenger. She is clumsy at housework because she’s never done chores before in her life, and is dissatisfied that she can’t help her master. However, because of Gunter, she’s become a competent fighter and is also an excellent healer (those eyes aren’t gold for nothing). So essentially, Lilith gets a personality swap where she is basically Felicia but with extra responsibilities as a character from Valla.

The sad consequence of importing Felicia’s character to Lilith is that we’ll be losing the dynamic between Flora and Felicia, unless Flora sees Lilith like a sister or something. Maybe I should keep Felicia in the story, but she’s long dead before the main timeline starts, like she was killed with her mother when the Nohrians subjugated the Ice Tribe and took Flora as a political hostage. If I’m not keeping Felicia, losing a mom is good enough for Flora… Great now she’s Katara 2.0 now. Someone stop me before I make someone else an expy of Avatar characters.

**Jakob**

I liked Jakob, though it’s probably because Felicia was initially unappealing to me, but he suffers the same problem as Felicia: great backstory, but no role in plot. He doesn’t really add anything for me, and I had a hard time trying to fit him anywhere in the plot, most especially when this AU centers around a male Corrin. Unfortunately, Jakob will have to go, but since I like him and his design so much, he might just be someone else’s butler from House Gehring, or will tragically have to be ditched entirely. Some traces of Jakob’s backstory and character traits will be dispersed to other various characters.

**Flora**

Poor, poor Flora. Like Lilith, she’s probably one of the characters many people wished they saw more of, and I was so sure I could make her support with other characters, too (I seriously planned for Flora x Leo or Flora x Kaze, but alas it could never be). I would really like to put more focus on Flora, but in doing so, that means drawing attention away from Felicia, who was already suffering from feeling extraneous to the plot. This was also another reason why I decided combining Felicia’s personality to LIlith was a good solution.

Flora will get a portion of Jakob’s backstory, in that she was awful at being a maid at first (because either she was indignant about obeying, or she didn’t understand Nohrian customs, or both), but Anri was a patient master and she gradually improved. With Felicia either dead or nonexistent (along with a dead mom), Flora shares a sisterly relationship with Lilith, who appears to be younger than her. Both of them learned to fight as part of their duties as maids from Gunter, but Lilith, the less competent one at housework, turned out to be especially good at combat, while Flora struggled and had to work twice as hard than Lilith did to be acceptable.

**Gunter**

I don’t really have much to say about Gunter, aside from I really liked his supports in Conquest (his support with Jakob was really amusing). But then suddenly he was important in Revelations, and I was confused for the most part, because I never heard of his family before. Also reveal of his possession was… anticlimatic for me. I felt like watching a melodramatic detective episode bc Corrin just goes “The murderer can only be you!!” and idk the moment didn’t feel right for me.

Since one of the other changes in this AU is Garon’s role and initial personality before he’s changed (raise your hand if you want a stern but not overtly bad Garon), Gunter will receive a similar treatment. He is one of Garon’s seasoned generals and is considered the king’s friend because their first wives were sisters. Gunter, Garon, and Horatio were once a trio, but Horatio left Garon’s service when Garon started changing for the worse, while Gunter stayed. Taking care of Anri is mostly a side job since the royal siblings have a more active role in raising him. He is unusually close to the prince because his wife and child are still dead, but through different means, and not because of Garon. His child also has a significant role in the plot, but I can’t reveal their name yet but they were close to one of the Nohrian royal children (haha have fun figuring that out).

Poor Gunter won’t come back from the Bottomless Canyon though. Let the dead stay dead unless Anankos feels like fucking around with his kids.

* * *

I think I’ll stop talking now before I anger more people. Next time, I’ll probably discuss why I cut out Astral Dragons and astral realms. Once again, no deeprealms, but there’s enough people on the Internet who’s said their piece on that, and certain children characters will be integrated into the plot… somehow.


	13. Questionable Decision #2: Dragons

I’ve said a lot about the changes to Valla but I want to make a post to talk at length about why I made those changes.

**What’s staying:**

  * Lilith (see [Questionable Decision #1](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7536472/chapters/19378477))
  * Most things Valla
  * Anankos, with drastic changes (see [Posts #1](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7536472/chapters/17395897), [#2](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7536472/chapters/17395897#valla2), [#3](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7536472/chapters/17395897#valla3), and two more posts I have yet to release bc spoilers)
  * Anri/Arisa (Corrin) as Dragons



**What’s not staying/changing:**

  * Astral Realms - My Castle has been moved to a physical location in Nohr
  * Deep Realms - child units won’t have much of a role or won’t appear
  * Rainbow Sage (this extends to no Yato and Seal of Flames)
  * All other Astral Dragons
  * All “First Dragons” except Anankos
  * The role of Mikoto and Arete
  * Some possible expansion on Vallite dragons



**Where Did the Dragons Go?**

So the basic gist of the First Dragons is that long ago some dragons fought each other, gave some humans their blood and made super powered humans, and then died or disappeared. Okay, acceptable plot to me, and I could live with some explanation than none at all. The thing is, this has been done like tons of times in previous Fire Emblem games, so I wanted to go for something different that isn’t a bunch of dragons fighting each other then going mad, although I did keep the madness factor in.

Assuming this was a branch off from the usual dragon lore, I’d always imagined Anankos was one of the more unruly dragons whom his peers had been forced to imprison him underground. I’ve never really been able to really formulate a concrete story of how he was stuck in the depths of the earth, but he’s quite a very knowledgeable dragon who loved to share his knowledge. His children greatly benefited from him dispensing so many ideas and advice, they were able to create a really advanced civilization underneath the ground.

Fire Emblem Fates speak of how the Astral Dragons are the ones who guide lost souls to the sky where they become the stars. So if there aren’t Astral Dragons, then who’s doing all this guiding? Maybe we can give Valla even more relevance by tying the existence of those like Azura to the act of “guiding souls”, like the funeral rites performed in the present day used to be a real ritual performed by Vallite priestesses, but after a lot of them were killed by Anankos during some great catastrophe, their dance and ceremony rituals live on through the people they taught, just that there is no magic involved or water (until Azura came along). The consequence of eliminating Astral Dragons means breaking a whole lot of cultural references as well as eliminating the strong ties to the Fire Emblem mythos.

**Nerfing Anankos**

There’s an air of futility that Corrin can’t do much in Conquest because everything seems to be decided for him. He gets no room to do anything he wants even though he’s far, far away from the capital. Iago and Garon breathe down his back all the time to unrealistic proportions. I always laugh at the part where Iago just randomly shows up in the sacred sanctuary because he can make Star Wars holograms now because honestly, if he’s had that ability the whole time, couldn’t he cause more trouble for Corrin? So yeah, Iago’s been nerfed, too. Meanwhile, Anankos is just a really, really powerful and godly to the point where he’s able to jump around time and worlds, make as many puppets of the dead as he wants, and the list goes on. It’s like Anankos and his puppets are like Swiss army knives of evil!

Anankos doesn’t really have much other abilities this time around. I think I only allowed him to control water, be really knowlwedgeable, and perform a few magic tricks. He’s not absolutely as omniscient, since he’s only like that because his priestesses, his literal eyes, used to live all over the continent, nor is he some dimension hopper. Considering what has happened to him, he’s almost been depowered to the level of a human, so we’re on a pretty even playing field right now. Like the section title says, he’s been incredibly nerfed. And that’s fine. By severely limiting his abilities, he has to do other things to get what he wants, and we all love a little craftiness, don’t we?

**We’ll Miss you, Rainbow Sage**

The Rainbow Sage was one of the weaker points of the story, although my favorite version of meeting him was the Revelations one. He kinda exists only to facilitate the Yato’s awakening, and then spout a couple lines like “Corrin, you’re the chosen one. It’s dangerous to go alone, take this blessing for your sword. Now it’s another step closer to becoming a divine chainsaw!” Pretty silly when I put it like that, right?

I didn’t know what to do with the Rainbow Sage after I came up with tossing out the Yato and the prophecy out first. I could keep him to dispense more exposition about the past (he could be like, oh by the way, this place used to belong to Dion! And did you know…), and that would cement him as the resident history nerd, but why do I need to do that when I’ve got other characters running around finding this stuff by themselves? The Rainbow Sage really started to become more extraneous, and so he’s going to have to take an early retirement.

Although now by getting rid of the Rainbow Sage, that means changing the reason why Hinoka’s in Notre Sagesse. I think it’s pretty simple, thinking that attacking Nohr from inside their borders would severely cripple them, so they’re going to have to start somewhere, and what better location to start their campaign than this quaint little island? Of course, it half fails because Anri and Camilla come in to save the day, but Hinoka and Takumi succeed in killing a general and sneaking some of their men through the borders to cause trouble.

**Mikoto and Arete as Major Characters**

One of the things I noticed was how Mikoto and Arete didn’t have a presence in the story. Granted, they are dead, but characters can still have an impact posthumously. I felt that the reason why they didn’t get much attention was because they were always second to someone else in the plot. Arete was queen, but all the interactions with Anankos came from her husband, who was also the king, and also the authority of Valla, assuming Arete married into the royal family. Then she had to leave Valla and became second to Garon, and we don’t have much idea on how she worked with him. Because she was treated as simply a consort to the kings of Nohr and Valla, she doesn’t seem to get all that much… relevance, aside from connecting Azura to both Garon and the last king of Valla? I don’t know how to word it, but her position in the original plot really diminished her importance, as if the only thing she’s going to be known for is marrying two kings, having Azura, and dying tragically.

The same goes for Mikoto, too. The plot tends to draw more emphasis on the fact that she was married to Anankos, rather than having her own abilities (like the unexplained magic barrier and power of foresight). By this relation, Corrin gets their abilities from Anankos, not Mikoto, so it kinda made her float to the background because I would end up paying so much attention to Anankos, who deserves his role but at the expense of Mikoto’s chance for a spotlight. She had the potential to be a powerful character, especially if she can conjure magic barriers and did sorta fine as the Queen of Hoshido for several years. But her own accomplishments aren’t really elaborated on, and she doesn’t really pass anything on to Corrin aside from her sudden death to motivate Corrin to stay in Hoshido.

By making Arete the Queen of Valla and having her husband marry into the family instead (and maybe being responsible for Anankos wrecking everything because he didn’t know better), Arete and Mikoto would be princesses of Valla. They had a responsibility to deal with anything that befell Anankos and Valla and force them to leave their fallen kingdom for the surface. There’s a more direct connection that can be made this way, and also puts them in a position of relevance that can persist even after death. By having Anri be the son of Sumeragi rather than Anankos, he inherits his draconic qualities directly from Mikoto and he won’t lose his blood family ties. Also the possibility that Mikoto can be a dragon sounds fun, although her oath prevents her from transforming anymore.

Also by placing more importance on the two sisters fleeing Valla, a plot point that is only briefly glossed over (seriously Anankos just hogs all the spotlight because he was wrecking stuff and terrorizing everyone), Arete and Mikoto can truly have the attention they deserve. I guess that by expanding on both the past and present, readers can see what they’ve accomplished rather than just be told how it happened through other characters. Even if they aren’t alive anymore, they live on through Azura, the one girl both of them have affected directly. As the only Vallite priestess alive, Azura continues their mission to stop Anankos by herself, for she is the only physical thing that remains of both of them and their life in Valla.

**Can We Just Have Babies the Normal Way?**

I’m pretty sure everyone knows why some people like me aren’t a big fan of the Deeprealms. It makes no sense, the idea of robbing the cradle is rather unsettling to some, a lot of the children end up not as happy with their parents, and yes let’s put our kids into an easy bake oven in the middle of war rather than waiting until this shitstorm blows over. I’d rather avoid any more complications if I have to deal with the tangled mess that is Valla.

**Valla’s Location**

Valla is treated very much like one of the other pocket dimensions that get brought up in the game, but now that I’ve gotten rid of those, what happens to it now? And why would it look the way it does without dimension magic?

I’ve always thought that Valla was built up to be a very technologically advanced world, somewhat like the Disney Atlantis movie that came out when I was a kid. Maybe they could come up with something that could simulate the stars and the sun, so there would be a sort of day/night cycle, but this would probably become a thing after exploration to the surface was a big thing to do. Water is ridiculously plentiful, since it’s the element of Anankos.

So Valla can still be underground, best accessible through the Bottomless Canyon if you want to break your neck. The Vallites probably had technology that made travel between their kingdom and the surface easily accessible, but where did that go?

**So Are There Still Dragons Aside from Anri, Lilith, and Anankos?**

Yes. I did say that all Vallites possess the blood of Anankos to some degree, and from there we have dragons. Kleo and Dion themselves were children of Anankos and could also turn into dragons, and their earlier descendants could do it, too. Of course, there are restrictions, like taking the oath of a priestess means discarding the ability to turn dragon ever again, and it’s troubling to be a full blooded dragon out on the surface without a Dragonstone, [although the continent’s Dragonstone operates differently from the ones in Archanea](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7536472/chapters/17395897#valla5).

The idea of a civilization of dragons lines up with a small reference to Loulan, Something I’ve wanted to slip in a few references here and there. When I wanted to expand on Valla, I wanted to keep the mythical Greek vibes I was getting when I first played the game, but when I learned what other things it was based off of, I really wanted to mix that in, too. To be honest, it was really hard for me to find free information on Loulan apart from Wikipedia, like I somewhat understand why the localization removed a lot of the references to Loulan because there’s hardly anything left of that place.

However, I did come across an old documentary about an expedition to the location. One section of the documentary mentioned an old Chinese legend of the origins of a certain part of a desert called the White Dragon Mounds. A god disguised as a monk was treated poorly by a tyrant king, and the offended god revealed himself and flooded the king’s city with the waters of Lop Nor. From the ruins he created a place called the Home of Dragons. I’ve been having trouble finding another source to confirm this story, but I thought it was a nice reference, albeit totally unintentional on my part.


	14. Questionable Decision: A Little Roster Change

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That time I decided yeah Felicia/Lilith ain't staying after all.

Yeah, I’m not going to keep count because there’s going to be a lot of these.

As many could tell, I really hit a block because all I have at the moment are queued questions right now, so all right, some content that isn’t an ask.

So what is the questionable decision this time?

  * **Felicia/Lilith hybrid has to go. She’s going to be cut.**
  * **Poor Flora still has a dead little sister.**



I think it was wishful thinking that I could at least have both Lilith and Felicia in the story somehow. But I guess it’s as they say. I have to kill my darlings.

## What the hell? Why say it now?

Because I changed my mind halfway through. This is completely a work in progress. Lots of unexpected stuff comes up and then you start to rethink whether or not you did the right thing. And then there’s the idea that once you post a chapter it’s final, unless you have a typo or something.

Essentially, after looking at the full outline again, I just realized a majority of Lilith’s role was still extraneous. Trying to justify her dragon form was hard enough, then trying to make sense how Azura could come to her about her Vallite heritage was also difficult. In fact, a lot of Lilith would end up doing ends up really diminishing Azura herself, so couldn’t have that happening.

I honestly really hate doing these kinds of things when we’ve already have chapters posted already, but this felt really important and couldn’t be completely avoided.

## So what’s going to happen to the old scripts?

Thankfully, not much. I actually haven’t utilized her enough in whatever meager scripts and illustrations I’ve made, so editing her out is fairly easy. Unfortunately, it shows how disposable she is. I’m sure as hell not going to go through all the old asks and re-edit stuff again, so eventually whatever will be in the finalized codex in AO3 will filter that stuff out. Although at least I’ll delete the tag for Lilith so she’s not as easily searchable.

## What was intended for Lilith?

All right, so if Lilith isn’t staying anymore, what was she going to do?

She was supposed to be Azura’s apprentice of sorts, hoping to regain her memories as she relearned her techniques as a Vallite priestess. She still struggles to remember who she was, but it would be later revealed that she wasn’t a priestess to begin with. Lilith would have been a pet of the Vallite royal family (hence the small goldfish like form), created from clay then given sentience by Anankos when he committed to a full time isolation.

Lilith was treated like the representative of Anankos himself, and was once the guardian of the Fire Emblem and was a playmate of young Arete and Eirene (Mikoto). Later she would be tricked into allowing Anankos to unleash madness and destruction on all of Valla. In her guilt, she would have followed Arete and Mikoto out of Valla. She would later be mortally wounded protecting Arete from her killer, causing her to lose her memories. Then She was found by the guards of Arlcliff as a child, and would be raised a servant girl for Anri. Like the original plot, Lilith would die near the end, but with her increased role, it would have been more of a sucker punch.

So, really sorry about that.


	15. Consorts & Garon Q&A Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Answered questions about the consorts and the Nohrian world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I haven't posted the consorts yet because I'm currently not motivated to draw anything (and I've only got two more ladies left what am I doing), so I'll just start posting up the lengthy amount of asks. Currently the completed biographies are posted on Tumblr.

  1. Did any of the consorts know Mikoto or Ikona?
  2. Did Kate dye her hair?
  3. How does the consort system work?
  4. What did the other consorts think of Kate?
  5. Were Seraphina and Leila friends?
  6. Is Seraphina part snake?
  7. What did Seraphina and Theresa feel about the neutral consorts?
  8. Seraphina's exclusive love
  9. Why Camilla doesn't like emulating her mom?
  10. Seraphina is a proud soccer mom
  11. Was Danica connected to Seraphina losing her singing voice?
  12. Were Theresa and Danica friends?
  13. Did Theresa have any positives?
  14. Saverio and Theresa were siblings?
  15. Did Theresa make Thomas try wyvern to one up Camilla?
  16. Why does Damian hate Theresa and her kids so much?
  17. Did Theresa belittle Camilla for not having blond hair?
  18. What consorts did not have children with Garon?
  19. Did Irma resent Garon for not being interested in Annaliese?
  20. Why did Garon like Annaliese the least?
  21. What is Garon's relationship with his kids? Is he still super evil?
  22. How did the Sumeragi incident go now that Garon isn't completely evil?
  23. Thank you for writing the consorts the way you do!
  24. How did the consorts feel about Arete being a consort despite Azura not being Garon's child?



#q1: Did any of the consort's personally know Mikoto and (or) Ikona

_\- Anonymous_

Katerina, Theresa, and Gabrielle met Ikona on a chance encounter while they were working in Esterlyn. One of Katerina’s crazy plans involved going right into the Hoshidan border to lose a team of soldiers working for one of Garon’s opponents. They came across Ikona, who was on a hunting expedition and probably would have lost their heads if it weren’t for Katerina’s persuasion that they meant no harm and would honor the border rules after their business was done. To really seal the deal, Katerina and Theresa heal Ikona’s pegasus, which had been injured by the beast the Hoshidan noblewoman had been hunting. Ikona then agreed to help them finish off their pursuers and let them go back to their side of the border with no repercussions. Neither side really expected to meet each other again.

Seraphina has encountered Mikoto in battle, but very rarely, since the queen rarely took command of her troops and hardly set foot in battle. Arete was killed before she reunite with her sister after their parting in Valla.

* * *

#q2: Did Katerina dye her hair?

_\- Anonymous_

No. She used ribbons and hairpins to get that style for her hair. Elise took it a step further and dyed parts of her hair for different reasons but it fit well with achieving a similar look.

* * *

Would Katerina and Leila get along, had they met?

_\- Anonymous_

Certainly. They share a lot of interests, so it would be easy for them to hit it off.

* * *

#q3: when did garon start taking consorts? gabriella joining kate and garon in uhm. private situations, as well as theresa's whole thing made me think it was before kate died, but i think the timeline mentioned the harem starting after kate's death... also if garon married all of them, why is it only katerina and arete were officially queens? were they like. a higher level of married with him or was the title of queen something he'd have to pick only one wife for?

\- Anonymous

I believe this is a bit of a mix-up between things that I wrote in the past (keeping things consistent is more difficult than it looks), and then things that were in canon that I decided to edit for coherence. I should try to clarify this before I confuse more people, so thank you for bringing this up.

Garon had been meaning to marry Theresa and Katerina from the beginning, like they’ve been together for so long, they took the idea of their marriage for granted. They wanted to get married at the same time, but Katerina jumped the gun, and Theresa took personal offense to that. In Annaliese’s case, he married her to honor her family’s agreement to have her installed as a consort via Hugo (who died unexpectedly), but the two didn’t like each other much, so they put it off as long as possible. As for the other women who joined later, he probably wouldn’t have strongly considered making them his consorts had it not been for Katerina’s death and the fallout with Theresa.

In the game, it sounds like Garon gave special preference to Arete and Katerina as his queens while his concubines (or in localization’s case, mistresses) did not seem to share the same status (either that or they were such awful people so no one likes to bring them up). This could be the fault of the original story not being able to delve into history of Nohr in greater depth, but that’s the best we can gather from canon. Although if there’s more things I missed, I’m eager to know about it.

When I first started writing this AU, I went along with the angle that Arete and Katerina were the special ones of the harem who got the extra title to their position as “queens” instead of simply just concubines, but I changed my mind somewhere along the way and decided to address all of Garon’s wives as equals in status as consorts. None of them has more authority than the other, rule-wise, but the system is still lax enough for the consorts to try and establish hierarchy among themselves (one can intimidate others into being subservient and alliances). Katerina being the first consort was not a big deal. The person who took most offense with it was Theresa because it was a personal betrayal to her, not everyone else who saw this as perfectly fine because both of them would enjoy the same status in public.

* * *

#q4: What were the consort's opinion of Queen Katerina

\- Anonymous

Probably the only consorts who are aware of Katerina’s job as spymaster were Gabrielle and Theresa because they were her allies when she still alive. Theresa’s complete feelings would require a post of her own, and Gabrielle revered her as an unsung hero. Arete and Leila learned of this when they got a lot closer to Garon and consider her an admirable woman with good intentions for Nohr. As for the rest, a lot of them only knew her as a sweet little woman who was the complete opposite to Garon. Those like Danica and Yvonne admire her philanthropic work and want to do the same, while those like Irma and Annaliese either respected her or thought Garon was wasted on someone as weak as her.

* * *

#q5: So we're Serphina and Lelia friends or just professional allies?

\- Anonymous

I’m happy to say they were good friends. Otherwise, Leila wouldn’t have agreed to having Damian and Cornelia engaged to each other. Seraphina likes getting things her way, but in Leila’s case, she always ask for permission first. It’s one of the few cases of mutual friendship among the consorts.

* * *

#q6: Okay I gotta confession. I literally for the longest time was reading Seraphina's name as "serpentine" and I was all like cool Camilla's mom is probably part snake or something.

\- Anonymous

Makes you wonder just how flexible Seraphina is… Although if anyone should be the snake, it’s Theresa. She actually makes poisons for a living.

* * *

#q7: What were Serapina's and Thersa's opinions on the neutral consorts?

\- Anonymous

Theresa naturally hates them. She hates Gabrielle for… being so close to Katerina and Garon after Theresa falling out with Katerina. She thinks Gabriella replaced her. As for Arete, no one seems know where she came from, but Garon seems to favor her a lot, which is a big no no for Theresa.

Seraphina doesn’t really care much about Arete or Gabrielle, so long as they aren’t in her way, although they are fairly civil with each other. Seraphina respects Arete’s privacy and finds amusement in their witty banter, but they hold each other at an arm’s length. Gabrielle is not very talkative to begin with, and they just quietly step around each other in the halls. They get along well enough in council meetings, but they hadn’t really acknowledged each other as allies or friends. Gabrielle did come along with Seraphina to the Massacre of Durand on Garon’s orders and died taking a hit for Seraphina, who didn’t seem especially devastated by the loss.

* * *

#q8: I'm kinda sad that Seraphina of the snake crows didn't really care that Gabby took a blow for her. I mean sure they weren't close but I was expecting her to feel something after. I had some hopes for Sera.

\- Anonymous

Sera’s love and affection is extremely selective and pretty exclusive to her own family. Camilla really didn’t like it.

* * *

#q9: Since Seraphina was selective about who got her affection and love, is that why Camilla is so generous in showing affection for her siblings?

\- Anonymous

Hit the nail right on the head! Camilla tries hard not to be like her mom but there are some things that remain.

* * *

#q10: Did Seraphina feel happy that her daughter master something Thomas couldn't.

\- Anonymous

She considers such moments small victories against Theresa and won’t hesitate to make snide comments about her daughter is awesome. Seraphina is a proud soccer mom.

* * *

#q11: Reading through a bunch of stuff, and noticed you mad a note about Seraphina losing her singing voice due to a rival's poison, and I'm curious now. Was that the incident where Danica tried to poison her, or something that hasn't been brought up yet?

\- reginalucem

Danica was involved in facilitating Theresa’s plans to sabotage the other consorts, so Seraphina was one of their victims.

* * *

#q12: Did Theresa just use Dancia or was there some sort of friendly bond?

\- Anonymous

Danica was just a pawn to Theresa. Nothing more, nothing less.

Theresa stopped wanting to make friends with anyone after Katerina beat her and threw her under the bus regarding their friendship.

* * *

#q13: Are there any positives to Theresa? Or is she really just that cruel when it comes to vying for power or Garon's affection, whichever was her main motivation.

\- Anonymous

I’ve always meant Theresa to be a tragic character. From the day she met Garon in their childhood, Theresa has always been a devoted, selfless person. She has been with Garon through thick and thin and had a relationship with him that survived through the succession crisis that put concluded in Garon’s crowning as king. Garon remembers the wonderful friend she was in those days, so he can excuse her actions more easily than one should.

In a time of frequent betrayals, Theresa loved her friend Katerina and would trust her with her life, even if both of their line of work involved deceiving others for the sake of putting Garon on the throne. Their falling out was an incredibly slow process, culminating to a point where Katerina ultimately chose to prioritize Garon over their friendship.

Theresa’s cruelty is a product of built up resentment from watching two friends grow further and further away from her and then channeling her resentment into envy rather than a resolve to reconcile.

* * *

#q14: Wait Saverio and Theresa were siblings? That's creepy especially with all the damage they have done before they were slaughtered.

\- evonee

Indeed. Also, Saverio was a bit of a torture technician.

* * *

#q15: Did Theresa have Thomas try out Wveryns because Camilla did that on her own?

\- Anonymous

Thomas’ attempts to try being a Wyvern Knight happened a year or so before Camilla started training for a similar class, although witnessing her nemesis’ daughter master something her son couldn’t must be a bitter pill to swallow.

* * *

#q16: I was reading the Before Fates timeline and I saw "Theresa of Durand attempts to sell Prince Damian into slavery, but is thwarted by Seraphina of Minett." First reaction was like "whoa. I feel like there is an entire story behind this." Is this where his hatred of Liselotte/Thomas/Theresa/House Durand came from?

\- Anonymous

Yes, but not only that, Theresa was also responsible for his mother’s death, so he has a lot to hate Theresa for. Seraphina being his guardian only amplified this hate.

* * *

#q17: Did Theresa ever try to make Camilla feel like Camilla wasn't Garon's child because she is the only kid without blond hair.

\- Anonymous

It’s indisputable that Camilla is Garon’s child because she like all the other children passed the ceremony that recognized her as a child of dragon’s blood, so Theresa never picked on Camilla about the legitimacy of her birth. What she does constantly point out is how Camilla’s mother is Nestrian, so there’s that. Theresa never had the chance to hurt Camilla as much as she did Damian, but she didn’t make living in Windmire all that fun for her.

* * *

#q18: So, did King Garon have any consorts that didn't have any children with him, or consorts that were killed by the others before they could become a threat? Or did King Garon just have only the consorts we've seen?

\- silvertarot

Gabrielle, Magdalena, and technically Arete (Azura is not his daughter) do not have any children with Garon. There’s only twelve of them, not counting Verena who never married Garon.

* * *

#q19: Did Irma hold any resentment to Garon because of his lack of interest in her cousin.

\- Anonymous

Irma didn’t like Annaliese much, either, and mostly kept her alive to stay in Jeremiah’s good graces. What she feels about Garon’s ineffectual reign is separate from her relation to Annaliese.

* * *

#q20: Sorry sorry! But why was Annaliese the least favorite consort of Garon?

\- Anonymous

Much like a lot of other people, Garon never hid his dislike for Annaliese because of her personality, and that opinion hasn’t changed much after they were married. Annaliese also didn’t like him either because of such past treatment, and she still blames him for letting Hugo die even though that wasn’t entirely all his fault. They haven’t gotten along ever since and make a mutual effort not to be around each other whenever possible after their wedding night. After Annaliese was cursed, Garon did little to support her afterwards and left such details to Irma. It’s an interesting comparison of how he lets Theresa’s acts of violence slide while he doesn’t do the same for Annaliese because of their differing histories.

* * *

#q21: So King Garon is more subtle about his evil behavior? How does it affect his relationship with the siblings? Is he still going to be that weird slime monster like in canon? I doubt it but just making sure. I'm really enjoying this canon-divergence AU!

\- Anonymous

Hmm, maybe slime monster isn’t the correct term to call him now, although he’s still pretty much dead inside. I’ve always thought he started out like Xander and held his country’s interests to heart, but life was clearly not kind to him and then after many, many failures and tragedies, he just… broke and became a puppet for others to take advantage of.

As for the Nohrian kids, he comes off as a very stern person who’s really hard to please. When he was still himself, he was really close to his kids and was a pretty good dad, but his consorts were more in control of the children than he was, except for his eldest three since he was responsible for them after Katerina’s death. Even when things got really bad for him, he still tried to be in contact with his kids, but balancing time for his kids and his own issues proved to be a big problem.

He was getting a little better up until the Sumeragi incident, and then he changed drastically and was more dismissive of his children, only giving the useful ones the time of day, often encouraging the competition and killing. He also began showing traits that went against his usual character, like condoning the massacre of a founding noble house and Jeremiah’s execution over a petty duel. His kids thought that the wars were simply taking a toll on him and blamed most of the infighting on their mothers and the noble houses for escalating the violence. Now that he clearly isn’t changing even after all the shit that went down, they’re really not sure what to think of him.

* * *

#q22: Considering the change to Garon in this AU, how does the Sumeragi incident and kidnapping to Nohr change or is it mostly the same?

\- Anonymous

It’s sorta the same, but not really, because now Mikoto was there at Cheve.

Mikoto was there not as queen to oversee the treaty be sealed, but as Arete’s sister to see her brother-in-law personally. She knew that her sister Arete had given birth to Azura in Nohr, that Arete had been especially close to the king when she was working in Nohr, and that Garon was the only person left in Nohr who knew of Arete’s true mission and identity. After hearing that Arete had died from a personal letter from her second husband, King Garon, Mikoto worried for her niece’s safety.

King Garon also happened to be thinking along the same lines, and had considered sending Azura away from Windmire to Hoshido with her aunt and cousin. Mikoto sorta jumped the gun and brought Anri with her to show to her brother-in-law, but Garon was touched by the gesture and expressed his happiness that Azura was blessed to have a wonderful cousin, now assured that his adopted daughter could be safer and happier in Hoshido.

The two got along rather swimmingly throughout the week, sharing their fond memories of Arete together. They saw each other as potential friends, another thread that could fill the chasm between the two kingdoms, but that would never come to be when Garon went and killed Sumeragi, taking Anri with him. Betrayed, Mikoto was convinced that he was responsible for Arete’s death and was therefore the true enemy. She managed to get Azura, as per their agreement, but she was unable to rescue her own son until much, much later.

tl:dr; Mikoto pulled an straightfoward Ethlyn and went to Cheve with Anri to settle a custody agreement with Garon over Azura.

* * *

#q23: What I love about the consorts you made don't revolve around Garon's love/attention. Most things they do is through their children or themselves. Also Garon picked strong women to be the mothers of his children, not all were subservient weak willed woman. And for the consort's that don't have fighting abilities, focused on helping the poor and stuff. I just really love the fact that you changed the idea of consorts into classy strong ladies who don't actually focus on stealing/sharing Garon love.

\- Anonymous

You’re welcome! I’m really glad you saw my intent with many of the consorts. I’ve personally felt that it would be disingenuous of the ladies themselves to chalk off their bickering as fighting for Garon’s love as if that’s the only thing they had to live for. While some do have strong feelings for Garon and sometimes act on them more than others, they’re still people, too, with goals, motivations, and aspirations of their own. I also wanted to make them well rounded in a sense that they have a mix of good and bad qualities so they aren’t just characters who are pure evil and easy to hate just so you can feel sorry for the Nohrian kids.

In a place like Nohr that’s somewhat of a meritocratic society, everyone must have something to contribute. If they can’t pick up a sword, they can help through various other means that are just as useful to the betterment of the kingdom. A lot of the consorts were women who Garon would be proud to call his equals, women who deserve to be a part of the Lorenzen family and continue the royal line of dragon’s blood.

I guess in some ways, my interpretation of them runs more on the idealistic side in that some of them were nice people, and some of them do love their kids. Maybe not in healthy ways for the kids and themselves, but they still want the best for their children. But I guess that’s just the way I roll. I didn’t want to make this story completely depressing where everyone is just mean to each other. This is a story about one’s capacity for forgiveness, after all.

Although I feel like I unintentionally defanged nohr's canon, like how garon is toned down so much, the Nohrian family don't seem to be as restricted as they are in canon. Like they're not afraid to do some controversial things. I swear this AU Camilla and Leo are so OOC compared to canon bc they're just doing whatever the fuck they want without much fear for whether or not their father could kill them.

* * *

#q24: How did the other consort's feel about arete being named queen, even though her child wasn't the Kings?

\- Anonymous

It’s a weird ambiguity in the court about whether or no Azura was Garon’s kid because technically, Azura was more or less certified as a child of Dragon’s Blood (not sure how that would work, uh… the Siegfried reacting favorably?), but Arete did sorta come out of nowhere with the child. Most of the inner circle know Azura was definitely not related, but everyone else is in that limbo of confusion.


	16. History of Nohr Part I

**Organized Crime Along the Border**

> _When chronicling the history of the Hoshidan-Nohrian conflict, one can easily pinpoint the start of the war on the day Queen Ikona died at the hands of Consort Irma, but there is, of course, more to the tensions that erupted into total war. One must observe beyond the scope of one single event and observe the state of the world from a distance as well._
> 
> _Much of Hoshido’s lands possess excellent soil composition, perfect for developing agricultural prosperity and superiority. And yet the the people who live on the lands of the east were not keen on sharing their riches with the rest of the continent. In retaliation, the people of the west lands resorted to more illegal means of acquiring their needs._
> 
> _Nohrian farmers would attempt to travel to Hoshido to secretly settle down and make use of the plentiful land to grow and send back to their families. A trip through the canyon was perilous as much as taking a small boat from Janholt to the edge of Mokushu, most times ending in death at the end of a sky knight’s spear, but eventually some sneaked through and blended in with the existing villages or established small villages of their own. Astounded by the wonderful soil that bore fruit far better than their homeland ever could, these farmers would work the land and send back shipments of Hoshidan grown crops to sell back home._
> 
> _Border patrols are thorough at guarding the few bridges across the canyon, but even the sharp-eyed can be deceived by those with quick feet. Smugglers braved the more dangerous routes often deemed impassable by the guards to avoid detection for the sake of delivering their goods across the canyon. Soon, Nohrians along the border realized the lucrative value in these operations, and a full blown smuggling ring was born. The ring grew in strength with the extra backing of Nohrian aristocrats and went unchallenged for almost a full two decades._
> 
> _These activities would come to light after a closer inspection of the villages lining the borders made by the Hoshidan lords who lived on these borders. Horrified by the Nohrian influence on their lands, the lords made great effort to bring an end to the smuggling ring. Even so, the migrant Nohrians had a stronger hold on these lands than the lords thought, resulting in a bloody clash in territorial claims and cultural identities._
> 
> _A breaking point was reached when Queen Ikona, who assisted in the investigation, was shot by a Nohrian archer, inciting war between the two great kingdoms. Nohr used the opportunity of their enemy’s confusion along the borders to scramble through and lay their hands on any land possible, welcomed by their fellow Nohrians from the other side. Nohr was able to hold onto a portion of these lands during the three year armistice, but the claimed territory were lost again after their defeat in the third wave of conflict. Consequently Queen Mikoto of Hoshido and her Council of Five ordered tighter restrictions on the borders, effectively cutting off the migrant Nohrians from their homeland._

Tried to tie in Ikona, Irma, Oboro, Mozu, Saizo, and Beruka somehow. On second thought, I was probably wrong to make Fallmount the crime capital when really Esterlyn and Janholt should be the problematic ones.

* * *

**Constellations: Anguis, The Dragon Triumphant**

Stargazing is a common pastime for the people of Nohr given the lengthier nights compared to days. The various tribes of the South believed that all departed souls, guided by the water maidens of the Father Dragon, were laid to rest in these vast skies. The Vandali of the North instead believed that the skies were exclusively held for the greatest of heroes who achieved glory. Many tales and tradition came forth from these beliefs and remain a significant part in Nohrian culture today.

The most famous constellation of the night sky is the singular Anguis. The adventures of Kleo after parting ways with her brother Dion came to an end when she was felled by a million arrows while defending her kingdom. Her body was so mangled that only her head remained. Wishing to preserve their mother for centuries to come, her children raised her head to the skies, creating the star Caput Anguis (also known as Etamin in the south), one of the brightest stars in the sky.

Her children, who went on to perform many great deeds themselves, would later join her to form the full constellation of the Anguis. Her eldest daughter Bia followed closely behind her mother, followed by her brothers Kratos and Zelos, and at last by Nike, the youngest daughter. Kleo’s many consorts would fill in the other stars that comprise the Anguis, immortalizing the first generation that formed the royal family of Nohr.

* * *

**Constellations: Cor Corinna**

While not a part of any constellation, Cor Corinna is the brightest star of them all, and serves as a guiding light for sailors and travelers alike. The bright blue star was named after Thalassa, the most famous of the Vallite priestesses and a queen of Valla who earned her place among the stars for founding the Order of Anankos. She was also known for never taking a husband, leaving the inheritance of the Vallite throne to her sister. Many have presumed that her heart belonged to no one but the Father Dragon. Evidently, Cor Corinna is located close to the Star of Fate which represents Anankos.

Cor Corinna is also recognized in Hoshido as Touma no Miko, with more emphasis on Thalassa’s status as one of the first water maidens and her place of origin.


	17. The Consorts of Nohr

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The compiled bios of the consorts married to King Garon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For now, Arete isn't going to be included in this page yet due to spoilers and also because she is to be included in the Vallite Royal Family section.

In accordance with the tradition started by the Dusk Dragon Kleo, who had four consorts to bring her four children, the ruler of Nohr is allowed and encouranged to have multiple consorts. Each consort is granted equal standing among one another by law, although personal preference from the ruler is not enforced. A consort then has a place in House Lorenzen and has the potential for political influence, although a consort can have more political influence if they with their ruler produce an heir for the royal throne. There is no concrete law that mandates that the consorts do not cooperate with each other, leading to all kinds of infighting in Nohr's history.

For a Nohrian king or queen to have more than one consort today is expected. King Garon had a total of twelve consorts, and his father, King Rembrandt, had two. In this canon divergence AU, Xander is allowed to have multiple S supports and has the potential to marry up to six women, although how many S Supports he achieves is up to the player.

* * *

### Katerina of Albrand: The Second Vasco

["pending quote"](https://soundcloud.com/tistory/03-the-univers)

> A woman loved by the people, respected by her allies, feared and despised by her foes. Katerina of Albrand was a woman of many faces. Much of history will remember her as simply the first consort of King Garon, but one day, the truth will come to light of her true character as the woman who made Garon’s ascension to the throne possible, his eyes and ears.
> 
> Born a frail, sickly girl unqualified to continue the Albrand tradition of cavalier training and little affinity for magic, Katerina grew up alongside her future husband Garon and fellow consort Theresa of Durand. Of the trio, Garon was the strongest, Theresa was the magically gifted, while Katerina had nothing but a name that would guarantee her marriage to the House of Lorenzen, as well as a keen mind that was often overlooked by most, except for Sir Vasco Belmonte, the king’s spymaster and royal court painter.
> 
> Vasco would enlist Katerina’s help to intercept letters from her godfather Oswald of Lorenzen and an unknown party to uncover a plan to assassinate the king. When Katerina took a step further and additionally identified the unknown party before him, Vasco was impressed by her raw potential and offered to teach her his line of work after they put Oswald in prison. To better seal the deal, he promised her that she could become a more powerful asset to her friends.
> 
> Under the royal spymaster’s tutelage, Katerina became a formidable woman not in the realm of the sword and tome, but the realm of information and management. Misleading others with a gentle demeanor, a generous reputation, and exaggerated displays of illness, Katerina was skilled at hiding her activities from unwanted company, her role in Vasco’s network known only to the royal family and her most trusted friends. After Vasco died failing to prevent King Rembrandt’s murder at the hands of Oswald, who broke out of prison, Katerina took over Vasco’s role as new royal spymaster.
> 
> Operating under her deceased mentor’s name, Katerina would track down her godfather’s whereabouts and unify the noble houses under the newly crowned King Hugo, but the elder brother would die from an ambush organized by her uncle, leaving Prince Garon to take the reins. Determined not to fail again, Katerina assisted Garon and Theresa in wiping out Oswald’s faction for good. When her husband was finally crowned king, Katerina vowed to continue being his spymaster and even had plans for a successor in case she died early.
> 
> In a profession that required secrecy and subterfuge, Katerina had to maintain careful distance with strangers while staying close to her friends. Yet for all of her brilliance, Katerina often overestimated the tolerance of her close ones. When Garon was under pressure to take a wife to assure his capacity as a ruler and a family man, Katerina told him to marry her first to settle any possible animosity from the Albrands, who had been split because of Oswald’s influence. This was a breach in her promise to both Garon and Theresa that they would be married together. Theresa was uneasy with the compromise and questioned whether Katerina could have made a joint marriage possible. The consort refused to change her stance on the issue, explaining her judgement was the only logical way, a response that would continue to plague the women’s friendship between each other and King Garon for years to come.
> 
> Katerina and Garon were at their happiest at each other’s side, but the consort’s days were numbered. The birth of twins affected her health detrimentally, and when illness caught up with her, Katerina was confined to her bed for a month longer than expected. The healers reassured her concerned husband that she would survive, but as the months grew by, she grew worse and worse, no longer able to cradle her own children in her arms. When she was pronounced dead, Garon felt like a part of him was lost forever. Nohr’s reconstruction would have to wait another thirty years.

And now for the woman everyone’s been waiting for, so I hope I didn’t fail your expectations.

  * It’s so weird that I tend to hate love triangles, and then look what I’ve went and done! Grahhhhhhhh!
  * I feel like Katerina’s character would appear underwhelming to many readers bc she’s one of the most popular characters to speculate on.
    * A lot of versions portray her as a kickass warrior or a powerful mage, and then I come up with this tiny woman who probably coughs up blood on a regular basis and has more of a desk job
    * I dunno, stuff like code breaking and intelligence networks are some pretty powerful tools to have
    * Katerina honestly cannot fight for shit, but she’s always had a knife or two on her. She probably wanted to slit Oswald’s throat her self, but she gave that honor to Theresa
    * Knowing Kate, she probably had plans to expand her network into Hoshido, although that’s a whole new can of worms
  * Since Katerina and Theresa both were meant to be Garon’s next consorts, the two of them were usually on the lookout for other women who could join them or women who could potentially hurt Garon
    * Kate often consulted Theresa on ways to kill people discreetly, although Theresa doesn’t enjoy the idea of her friend dirtying her hands so she could feel useful
    * For those who wondered if Theresa should have been the spymaster instead of Kate…
      * Theresa adopted a lot of Katerina’s personality after her death as a result of guilt.
      * That scared Garon in a way, and was an off field change for everyone else who didn’t know Kate ’s true nature
    * Although Kate ’s band of “crows” answered only to her, Theresa had a lot of connections of her own
      * thank goodness she was not Katerina’s successor, although that’s probably another sore spot for Theresa
      * Although Kate did make use of Theresa’s network, she kept that separate from her own personal “crows”
  * I lied about her being virtuous. She’s anything but virtuous. Well, at least to the public she’s a paragon of upstanding morality
    * She can be a little snappy, but for the most part, she acted like she could never hurt anyone
    * She likes to keep a sort of “lady and knight” image with Gabrielle and Garon
    * Katerina often liked to visit hospitals with Theresa, even though she was really bad with healing arts
    * Her presence in these hospitals was an inspiration to a lot of patients
  * Most of the characters are also under the perception that her true self was her public persona
    * Coincidentally a bunch of the people who knew her role as a spymaster are dead
    * Some hear rumors but are almost afraid to believe it because then she’d be no different from Theresa, who has become a villain in many people’s eyes
    * Don’t want to ruin people’s dreams, you know? It’s like telling a child that Santa and the tooth fairy aren’t real
    * As the crown prince, Xander is well aware of this information, and therefore sees his mother in a different light compared to his other siblings
    * Elise is more familiar with her philanthropic works and tries to emulate the first consort
    * Who is her successor you ask? Well, we’ll just have to find out later.
  * Did Kate have conflicting feelings for both Hugo and Garon? Nah, she was pretty sure she was staying with Garon.
    * Hugo didn’t really like the thought of marriage, and planned for Garon’s kids to continue the line of succession
    * That didn’t stop Kate and Theresa from trying to set him up with potential ladies
    * Rumor has it that Annaliese Buelen really had the hots for Hugo.
  * Kate and Garon were complete saps in their own way. Garon was type of guy who loves sending love letters and constructing poems, and Katerina was musical person and appreciates said cheesy poems
    * Their favorite thing is attending the opera in Cyrkensia. It used to pain Garon to go there in the years after Kate died.
    * The next time he went there, he was going with his other consort Leila, and there he met Seraphina, Camilla’s mother.
  * Of course, in anything I write, there is always someone who I can nickname Kate, because I can never escape my roots as a Pokemon Ranger fan
  * Chose the linked music because I wanted some harps to match up with Diantha
    * The way the music swells in the beginning before ending with a soft piano is rather fitting.
    * Also if you listen closely at around 1:50, the notes really remind me of something else… I know it’s petty, but let me have my moment here, damnit
  * Accompanying music: THE UNIVERS by Hiroyuki Sawano from Gundam Unicorn
  * On a random side note, gosh I am a sucker for the mecha anime
    * So much it makes me want to come up with a Space Opera AU for Fire Emblem Fates, but idk, time constraints and all…
    * tbh you could probably implant these characters in an plot similar to Aldnoah.Zero (ahahaha imagine Jakob or Silas shooting Kaze for letting Corrin get shot)
    * Idk it’s just listening to all of Sawano’s music gets my brain working



* * *

### Annaliese of Buelen: Death in Life

["pending quote"](https://soundcloud.com/tyapin-alexandr/cold-nobility)

> As the sole child of a neglectful Roderick Buelen, Annaliese achieved her position in the mage’s temple through only her name. Many referred to her as a brat and pitied Prince Hugo of Lorenzen, her betrothed. Regardless of her behavior, Hugo treated her kindly and allowed to her to prove her mettle in battle, a respectful gesture that won her heart. However, their potential happiness could never be, for Hugo would be slain by his uncle, and his younger brother Garon would honor the family agreement by marrying Annaliese instead. Although she harbors resentment against her husband, she tried to make the best of situation.
> 
> Most of the time, Annaliese was often at odds with the other consorts who either suspected her of possible assassinations or didn’t see her as an equal on the battlefield. After Consort Katerina died unexpectedly, Annaliese worked to advance her dear son Jeremiah to the throne by taking advantage of Garon’s grief and eliminating Katerina’s children. While Xander and the twins were still young, she attempted to poison them, but was thwarted by Sir Gunther. Ronne, the new spymaster, followed the trail of evidence she carelessly left behind and alerted the Albrands, who retaliated in return.
> 
> Augustine of Albrand then arranged for Annaliese to be hexed with a wasting disease. The consort would first lose the ability to walk, then followed by the rest of her senses in a gradual, painful process that took years. Withered and helpless, Annaliese immediately fell out of favor with the king, the court, and the family. Only her cousins, Horatio and Irma of Buelen were willing to keep her alive, while her son Jeremiah was driven to avenge her.

Yeah, not exactly an original design, but I wanted to incorporate Shade into the AU now that I have a chance. But then months later, I didn’t realize Shade actually had a personality and backstory that’s opposite to Annaliese. I really have the worst luck.

  * If Garon’s campaign was a game of its own, Annaliese would probably be a hard character to like
  * She is one of the biggest spenders in the family and among the consorts. Even in her sickbed, she managed to spend money on the most trivial of things.
  * Yvonne had tried to help her get better, but like many other healers realized, the hex was not reversible.
    * Arete could have potentially saved her, but Arete knew little about Annaliese when she lived in Windmire. Garon and many others are quick to forget her as well.
  * For all her faults, she truly loved her son, and interacted with him greatly whenever she was well enough
  * She isn’t disappointed in him for not possessing the Bynhildr. Most of the guilty tripping came from Irma, who was more aggressive about putting a Buelen-born Lorenzen on the throne.
  * Her favorite moment was probably hanging onto Hugo while they ride around the tundra scenery in Westerstede.
  * Accompanying music: Cold Nobility by Nakagawa Kotarou



* * *

### Theresa of Durand: The Witch of Fallmount

["pending quote"](https://soundcloud.com/silverzenith-rathlion/hiroyuki-sawano-nanatsu-no-taizai-ost-sin)

> Under the great oak that grew in the garden dedicated to champions, a prince and his two childhood friends swore to stay by each other’s side for eternity, in sickness, in health. Theresa of Durand, Katerina of Albrand, and Garon of Lorenzen commemorated this moment with a drink from a single goblet, a prayer to the Dusk Dragon Kleo that their promise would never be broken.
> 
> Together, the three of them saved Nohr from falling apart after an Oswald Lorenzen’s attempted uprising and King Hugo’s untimely death. Theresa’s unparalleled skill in medicine and magic won her the title of The Witch of Fallmount, a name both feared and admired by the people. While a primary combatant in Prince Garon’s forces and a close ally for Katerina’s spymaster duties, Theresa shined the most in her philanthropic works.
> 
> After Oswald’s uprising was put to rest, Theresa was given new responsibilities that would take her many distances. She assisted in the stabilization of Nohr by organizing a vast network of healers and mages, beginning a process to make magic education and healing services more accessible to the people. Under her direction, Palace Macarath was converted into an archive of medicinal studies and an institute for the arcane arts. Nohr was well on its way to a full recovery to its glorious self.
> 
> Theresa remained friends with Katerina and Garon, and Nohr’s future seemed bright with the three of them at the helm, but that was not about to last. Her attitude changed when her two friends went through with an early marriage and seemingly held no regrets in leaving her out of their promise. Stewing over her loss and a broken promise, Theresa set herself on a path to ruin. She could no longer look at her friends the same way again.
> 
> Nonetheless, she stayed by Katerina’s side when she gave birth to the Crown Prince Xander. When Katerina experienced complications while pregnant with twins, Theresa was hesitant to act while her fellow consort struggled to stay alive after giving birth. This moment sealed her fate when Katerina died shortly after, and upon seeing Garon in grief, Theresa could not help but feel satisfaction for not acting at all. With Katerina gone, she was the only one left for Garon to turn to. No one else could have that.
> 
> Instead of wishing her love a happy life and letting go, the consort instead took her anger out on the future consorts that would join the family, as well as their children. Theresa established herself as a terror of the Nohrian royal court, holding the weaker women as her pawns and eliminating subjects who defied her. Her preferred method was poisons, made with the purpose not to heal, but to tarnish and kill. The pain and suffering of her husband Garon and her children, Prince Thomas and Princess Liselotte, held no light to the unceasing jealousy she held against the other consorts and their children. Her actions would be a driving force in the continuation of the great feud between the Durands and the Albrands, which had resurfaced with a vengeance during Oswald’s uprising.
> 
> Tired of the abuse Consort Theresa had wrought upon them and the ailing king’s inaction to these offenses, several consorts and nobles plotted to bring her down. The opposition worked long and hard to tear down her control before striking the final nail in her coffin. During the conflict between Hoshido and Nohr after Sumeragi’s death, Theresa’s family, House Durand, was accused of treachery. The king was moved to declare a royal decree that ordered the infamous Massacre of Durand. Consort Theresa was set aside for her old enemy Consort Seraphina, who subjected her to several days of torture, her cries for the king were left unheard. Her mutilated body was hung from the gates of the Durand Estate alongside her children and family, forever branded as a traitor to the crown.

So… Just desserts?

  * Before the betrayal, Theresa was a fairly outspoken person who wore her heart on her sleeve
    * Katerina sometimes envied Theresa who was allowed to be so open about her feelings
    * Garon appreciated her emotional support, especially after his brother’s death
    * Of the three of them, Theresa was very much an emotional core for the two of them
    * Katerina found it easy to abandon emotion in favor of logic, while Theresa often spoke against such things
    * Horatio and Gunter, Garon’s first retainers, were often charmed by her peppiness
    * If not for Theresa’s amazing matchmaking abilities (and Katerina’s encouragement), Gunter wouldn’t have met his wife
    * Horatio and Theresa were the jokesters of the team, so when Horatio meets Candace, he is often strongly reminded of Theresa before she went through some troubling stuff
    * It can be rather hard to believe she was such a bundle of fun and joy
  * After Katerina’s death, Theresa began adopting bits and pieces of Katerina’s tendencies, to the point that people who knew her before all that shit happened thought they were looking at an entirely different person
    * Then again, many people didn’t know Katerina so closely, so they never would have guessed the connection
    * The change was not at all sudden, but a very gradual roll down the hill
    * People started realizing that Theresa wasn’t playing nice anymore [when she went on that baby killing spree](http://iasfuturekings.tumblr.com/post/145485354358). (as if Leila’s death and Damian’s experience in slave trade wasn’t enough of an indicator)
  * Theresa’s fate is strongly based off of that of [Consort Qi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consort_Qi), who was tortured by [Empress Lu Zhi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empress_L%C3%BC_Zhi).
  * The accompanying song is “らゲ-sin” by Hiroyuki Sawano



* * *

### Irma of Buelen: The Arrow That Ignited a War

["pending quote"](https://soundcloud.com/linh-ng-arc/a-soldiers-honor-fullmetal-alchemist-brotherhood)

> After the fall of Nohrian King Rembrandt by his brother, his sons enlisted the support of House Buelen to quell their uncle Oswald’s uprising. Lady Irma of Buelen, the daughter of the famed general and sorceror Fedele of Buelen, eagerly agreed to fight for then Prince Garon, if not for the sake of honoring her cousin Annaliese’s betrothal to King Hugo. Her pragmatism helped Garon defeat Oswald and ascend to the throne, earning her honors and a place in House Lorenzen as the new king’s consort.
> 
> Like many consorts, Irma was eager to use her position to influence kingdom affaris to benefit her house, but while her fellow consorts Seraphina and Theresa were, Irma took a more reserved approach to consolidating power, representing the more central party in matters pertaining to the court. However, when Theresa later proved to pose a great threat to the balance of power, Irma favored Seraphina and also pushed for the king to issue the decree leading to the Massacre of Durand.
> 
> Irma grew especially concerned about the prosperity of her nation, and like many of her fellow colleagues, she believed that securing some of Hoshido’s plentiful land would help them. The king had long agreed that trade should be opened between Nohr and their eastern neighbor, but for many years, such talks were turned down. Irma realized a lawful approach would succeed, and thus turned to other means.
> 
> Upon learning that House Pohl was sponsoring the booming smuggling ring and migrant work that operated the Hoshidan-Nohr border. Irma used this ring as an attempt to test how the Hoshidans would react to these developments. Fortune smiled down upon her when she spotted a pegasus flying above her. It wasn’t just any pegasus, but that of the Hoshidan Queen Ikona, who had been called with her fellow Sky Knights to perform border inspections. After some thought, Irma drew back her bow and released. Her arrow struck the Hoshidan queen directly in the heart, and sent east lands into a state of shock.
> 
> Upon provocation, King Sumeragi declared war on the Kingdom of Nohr, but the Hoshidans, who haven’t seen war in decades, were not prepared for Irma’s cunning. Using the confusion along the border, Irma led troops into the Hoshidan Plains and staked claim on Hoshidan territory as that of her own nation’s. She counted on the inexperience of the Hoshidans, who have never once had conflict for half a century, unlike the Nohrians, who had just emerged from a civil war. Unable to curb her independent actions, the king and the rest of his war council was forced to join her under the grounds that they must protect their own.
> 
> During the second phase of the Hoshidan-Nohr conflict, Consort Irma was slain by the Hoshidan Kinshi Knight Reina, who had sought to avenge her teacher and queen. Irma’s death was a huge blow for the Nohrians, for she had been a guiding figure in the war council. For a while, Nohr would keep a steady hold on their portion of the Hoshidan plains, but later the Hoshidans would drive Nohr back over the border. While Irma’s attempted invasion may have ultimately failed, her actions sowed the seeds of motivation for Nohr to attempt conquest of the east lands in the near future.

A little more dry than the others, but this concludes the bios for the Nohrian Consorts! Arete, a Nohrian consort herself, will be included in an upcoming seciton about Valla’s royal family, along with her sister Eirene.

  * Irma’s design draws a lot from [Petrine from Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance](http://fireemblem.wikia.com/wiki/Petrine). I remember going through that game and finding her such a striking antagonist, even if she wasn’t entirely a central one.
    * The difference is that Irma isn’t really into dragons
    * She’s more of an archer than a swordswoman like her daughter, but she does have a really good skill with the blade
    * Normally, she ties her hair up, but sometimes things get cut loose, and she can get really scary when someone does that.
    * Unlike the rest of her family of mages, Irma is more focused on swords and bows, although she has used bows enhanced with magic
  * Irma was a fairly difficult character to put together because I was worried she seemed like another rehash of Seraphina or Theresa
    * Compared to Theresa, she is much less extreme
    * Whereas compared to Seraphina, Irma is already an established noblewoman and doesn’t have that strong of a grudge against the Durands
    * Then I put together an idea that she would be one of the main parties responsible for starting the first of the four successive wars between Nohr and Hoshido and added her to the involvement of the Nohrian smuggling border business
    * The smuggling ring was heavily sponsored by the Buelens, and she was a main contributor to this
  * The Pohls are canon, since they exist in Beruka and Saizou’s support conversation. They’re a vassal house to the Lovells, or they used to be.
    * Beruka was hired by the Lovells to cut the Pohls off from them permanently (so even they aren’t so above it all)
    * Saizou was understandably hired by either the Amachi or the royal family to finish them off because they were key players in this smuggling ring
    * Oboro is a direct victim of these smuggling ring activities, where the lords of the border east lands tried to police the business in their territory to prevent more illegal exports. The smugglers themselves also armed themselves with mercenaries and not all mercenaries were the most moral people in town.
  * I don’t know how to draw Fates’ Silver Bows for shit, so excuse my weird… bauble thing.
  * As one can tell from her history and her own daughter’s upbringing, Irma was just as much of a control freak as Seraphina was, although both their ideology on what kind of control they wanted varied and how blatant they wanted to be about it
  * In connection to the true canon of Fates, Mikoto has no big giant barrier covering the entire east lands, just around the capital.
    * This way, Irma and her men would not “lose the will the fight over the barrier” like the canon games plays off Nohr’s reluctance to invade until Mikoto’s death
    * However, the Amachi and Ishiyama are pretty damn good at keeping their part of border secure, and no one would dare try to endure the Inazuma winter.
  * Music Accompaniment is A Soldier’s Honor by Akira Senju



* * *

### Lady Gabrielle: Champion of Fallmount

["pending quote"](http://www.presence-of-music.com/cn13/cn22/vanity.html)

** **

> To show their supposedly unending friendship, Consort Theresa allowed her friend Consort Katerina to choose from her roster of notable warriors and knights as a retainer. The spymaster chose a statuesque, military woman named Gabrielle, a general hailing from a knight company serving the Durands. Although her loyalty was with the Durands, the governing family of her place of origin, Gabrielle followed Katerina without question and came to adore her liege as well as her future husband King Garon.
> 
> After Katerina’s death, Garon sought comfort in Gabrielle as a friend, most especially after his fallout with Theresa. Her loyalty now changed, she then married the king to stay by his side like Katerina would have wished for her and to permanently cut ties of her honorary position with the Durands. Enraged, Theresa poisoned her food thoroughly one night, hoping the general would die, but Gabrielle survived the attack but was unable to conceive any children. Thankfully, her husband did not think less of her for this and asked that she continue to remain by his side as a friend and mentor to some of this children. She would be one of Xander and Marius’ many teachers in royal lancefaire and introduced Damian to the art as well.
> 
> Gabrielle was one of the kindest consorts despite her rugged looks, and often tried to make the other consorts feel at home. She assigned herself as protector to many of the consorts who hailed from no noble family, although her success varied. Through her good will, she fostered many friendships in the court wherever she could, although overall, she remained neutral in the conflict between Seraphina and Theresa. While she no longer had faith in Theresa as much, she believed that Seraphina would change for the better, much how she believed in the good of the other consorts to serve the king and their country.
> 
> Later when the Durands were accused of treachery, Gabrielle would follow her husband’s orders to execute all the Durands. Over the week of mass killing and hunting, Gabrielle and Seraphina managed to understand each other more than they ever could in the halls of Krakenburg. Their newfound friendship was cut short when the general protected Seraphina from one of Theresa’s particularly deadlier spells while in pursuit. Gabrielle’s memory is immortalized in the Castle Krakenburg by a statue of her likeness.

Can we bring back General class with cool ass capes? I miss Zelgius a bit.

  * Gabby isn’t exactly all that good with animals, much to Kate’s amusement
    * She’s also deathly afraid of heights, which is rather unfortunate for Garon in the past whenever they had to fly over a battlefield ASAP
    * Her father was Great Knight back in the day, and her mother was a General as well
  * She’s a rather humorless person to a fault, and a lot of jokes often go over her head
  * After Horatio resigned from the military and consequently as Garon’s retainer, Gabby took his place alongside Gunther and take turns slapping sense into Garon whenever required (Haha, the 3 G’s)
  * I wonder if in Krakenburg there’d be a sort of Garden/Hall of Champions for people like Gabby and Irma
    * Would there even be any gardens?
    * We could chalk it up as the Brynhildr making more miracles again (probably one of Diantha and later Leo’s responsibility)
    * I mean, Krakenburg in concept is so gloomy.
  * Garon and Gabby get along well enough more than most people think, probably because they don’t really display much outward affection with each other
  * Gabby is regularly seen dancing with other women or some of her own soldiers if they were too nervous to ask someone out to dance
    * She often prefers the dominant position in dance, which both Gunther, Horatio, and Garon helped her learn back in their youth
    * Garon, who is actually the best of the three men who can play both positions, can attest to how many times his feet have been stepped on by Gabby.
    * She taught Diantha to dance, much to the princess’ delight
  * The battlefield is Gabby’s element, and oftentimes she stays away from Krakenburg and goes on business trips Garon asks her to do (she met Yvonne on one of such trips)
  * She’ll come back once in a while to see her stepchildren, who eventually were just as busy as they got older
    * If she had to pick a favorite, probably Damian, since she spent so much time teaching him how to better use a lance, and Xander and Mars started focusing on swords more
    * She still loves her boys nonetheless, and the girls, too
  * She is also well renowned among the populace as well. Truly a champion of the people.
    * Effie looks up to her as an inspiration and models herself after the late consort in almost all aspects including eating a lot
    * While she isn’t a goddess, the children who do remember her often stop by her statue to hope for a safe return
  * Music: Vanity by Presence of Music



* * *

### Lady Leila: Beauty of the Desert

["pending quote"](https://soundcloud.com/amanda-landry-175867776/arslan-senki-ost-24-tenkuu-ni-mau-tori-yo)

> Although Garon had several noblewomen as consorts, he did have those of commoner birth. The first of these women was a dancer from a traveling entertainment troupe who performed for the king when he was traveling in Nestra to settle a land dispute. Although only a mere entertainer, Leila would offer sound advice and gave Garon a new perspective in the way he handled his affairs. In Garon’s moments of loneliness brought on from his lingering grief of his kingdom’s turmoil, Leila kept him company every night out of concern for him, and together they appreciated the stars that littered the night sky. When he was about to depart, he asked Leila to come with him to the capital, to which she jumped at the opportunity.
> 
> Although many doubted her true nature in regards to Garon, Leila would prove time and time again that she had her king’s interests at heart. Her kindness won the hearts of the people and the supports of the Lovells, who respected her pacifist approach. She was exceedingly civil with the other consorts as well and wished not to fight them, but instead to befriend them. She introduced Garon to Seraphina of Minett, who would become her greatest friend in Windmire. She also earned the respect of Lady Gabrielle, who was also a close friend and consort of the king.
> 
> The birth of Damian brought great joy to not only Leila but also Garon himself. The two hoped that these happy times were a sign of a good future. Meanwhile, fellow consort Theresa of Durand couldn’t comprehend how the king would be so entranced by a mere commoner so far as to have a child. Even worse, she simmered in fury over how quickly Leila surpassed her in rank and respect, suddenly being hailed as the next “Katerina”. Years passed, and no longer could Theresa stand the cheerful smile on this simpleton’s face as she stood by the king as if she deserved that position.
> 
> One day, Ashley Holstein, the wife of Barnaby of Lovell, was found dead, and all evidence pointed to Leila. The entire kingdom was thrown into disbelief, but the evidence against her was too strong. Leila was then pronounced guilty of murder, despite Seraphina’s protests and Damian’s pleas. Unable to order her execution like Theresa wished, Garon ordered her to be sent to the borders of Nestra where she could live in exile. Realizing she would be forced to part with her beloved son, Leila requested one last moment with Damian, who refused to let go of her.
> 
> “We may be far apart,” she comforted to her weeping son. “But if you need think of me, look to the stars. Remember that we share the same sky, and that I will always be with you.”
> 
> A month later, the king received a report that Leila’s envoy was attacked by unknown assassins, with no survivors. Afterwards, King Garon put up the late consort’s portrait next to Katerina’s in his private study as yet another glaring reminder of all the wrongs he’s done to others.

Oh, hey, something in full color, but no background because that’s a lot of effort. The shading is already silly enough, and I’ve had too much fun with the motion blur the last two illustrations I’ve done.

  * You could say Katerina’s death and Theresa’s bitterness was the start of Garon’s descent, Leila was the hope spot, and Arete was the straw that broke the camel’s back
  * I hesitate to say Leila truly reminds Garon of Katerina, since the two are not alike at all, but Leila did brought back a form of happiness Garon hadn’t felt since Katerina was with him
  * Random fun fact to help connect the dots! Ashley Holstein (Buelen) was in fact Claudia’s mom. Silas’s mom was Beata Cantrell (Lovell).
  * If Leila were alive today, she’d never approve of Seraphina and Damian’s on that revenge streak and going against everything she stood for.
  * Leila was a great inspiration to Princess Diantha, who carried on her work after the consort’s death
    * Xander and Marius really started to look up to her as a second mother, too
  * To anyone who starts getting ideas that Leila just might be alive, she’s definitely dead. No weird doppelganger swap or “Layla and Damian are siblings” theory. She’s dead.
  * Unlike Damian, Leila really didn’t like riding on horses
    * She’s a soft spoken person and is nice and all, unless you demand her to ride a horse
    * Would rather walk, thank you very much. Not even Garon can persuade her
  * By the “next Katerina”, Leila really matches up with what the first queen appeared to be in public.
  * Name time! I chose [Leila](https://www.behindthename.com/name/leila) (”night”) because I guess it fits with the whole stargazing aspect
    * I definitely picked the name without realizing Layla existed, but I decided that Leila knew Layla’s mother, so hence the name
    * It would be wonderful if Azura met Layla and learned about Damian’s mother! (nudge nudge)
    * Since Damian’s horse is also named “Shabrang” I guess it really goes with the night theme naming
  * Music: Tenkuu Ni Mau Tori Yo by Taro Iwashiro



* * *

###   **Lady Danica: The Forgotten Princess**

["pending quote"](https://soundcloud.com/tyapin-alexandr/lack-of-power-for-wisdom)

> Long ago, there was a tiny, isolated kingdom that lay beyond the sands and the Forests of the Forlorn. The king of this land sent his youngest daughter to King Garon, who accepted Danica and installed her into the royal court as a new consort to honor an thousand year old agreement. A month after her departure, the faraway kingdom was caught in a devastating plague that wiped out an entire population, or so she was told.
> 
> Completely unprepared for what awaited her but unwilling to wallow in her grief, Danica stood out like a sore thumb among the other, more elegant consorts.Upon her arrival in the court, she was greeted by Theresa of Durand, a fellow consort and a prominent healer. Theresa warned her that the other mistresses may not be as welcoming and offered to form a mutual alliance. Shortly after, Danica was named an honorary member of the House of Durand, granting her protection under the Durand family name.
> 
> While not blessed with magic ability or combat sense, Danica had a gift for stories, many of which charmed the king. She declared that she was the only surviving member of her kingdom and therefore possessed wealth of knowledge, culture, and history that could never be uncovered again. Intrigued by her claims, King Garon allowed her to work as a scribe and document all her knowledge into a series of books that would be the only remaining testament to her kingdom’s existence.
> 
> At first the king wished to humor her, but when he visited her regularly, he took interest in the knowledge she held and returned to the dusty library more regularly, eager to hear more enchanting tales and stories he had never even heard of. From fascination came respect, and from respect came love. Their relationship brought about the birth of a child, whom she named after one of her ancestors. Danica was close to finishing her countless leaflets of historical records, but she didn’t fear that her work would be finished and instead took comfort in the fact that her position was secured by the existence of her child. That is, until she found their lifeless body in the cradle, finger marks etched into their neck.
> 
> Theresa comforted the young, bereft mother and suggested an idea. If she could kill Princess Camilla’s mother, Lady Seraphina, perhaps she truly secure her position and have her sweet revenge. She gave Danica instructions for a poison to slip into the other consort’s drink at a feast and tell no one of their conversation. The younger consort eagerly accepted the request, but little did she know that Seraphina was never the intended victim to begin with.
> 
> The poor princess was caught in the act, while Theresa, the real mastermind, thoroughly covered up her involvement with the younger consort. Danica was sentenced to die the way she intended for Seraphina: a single goblet of concentrated poison before the entire nation. In her last moments, she clawed at the guards restraining her and shouted curses at Theresa, who watched the proceedings with cold, calculating eyes. However, her words were too garbled to comprehend. The only memory of her lies in the books that came from the stories that spilled from her tongue.

Sorry, about the lateness! Real life happened, so I had to put this on hold for a bit. Sooooooo let’s kick things off.

  * Basically, orphaned princess declares herself a national treasure, but gets duped by a witch
  * Another reason this came out late is because I kept rewriting her bio to make sense of her backstory, because if Danica came from a country far away, why can’t Nohr reply back?
    * Then I was like, sure let’s add to the body count. And keep it mysterious, because I sure as heck don’t know what happened to her kingdom.
    * At some point I wanted to place her kingdom in the big forest in Fallmount to resolve that question, but then I couldn’t figure out why I should make it so isolated when the Ice Tribe got their asses handed to them, and they’re isolated, too
    * One of her other origins was a simple barmaid, but that sounded too much like Leila and Yvonne’s stories
    * Danica used to be a gift from her father to Garon but that’s not polite and didn’t make sense in the long run
  * At first I wanted to make the consorts’ bios be portrayed like an illustrated children’s fairy tale for some dark humor, but that is really difficult, so I’m sticking to the standard format instead. I’d totally make one as a separate series for fun, though.
  * I guess not all spirited, young ladies can be heroes. It’s actually kinda sad. They’re some of my favorite kinds of character.
  * Originally was going to make her a redhead, but decided hot pink was okay, too. Kinda like Yona from Yona of the Dawn. I really like that show. Especially Yona. I’m being serious here.
  * Danica is quite a hothead. She’s quite similar to Theresa in that regard (kindred spirits, I suppose)
  * She was supposed to be a haughty character whose downfall was her pride or complacency after having Mila, but I guess I’ll save that for Leila
  * Danica was meant to be a foil to Seraphina. Both of them got screwed over by Theresa. Danica was complacent and then despaired over her misfortune, while Seraphina decided to get revenge and reinvent herself. Actually… Leila sounds more like Sera’s foil than Danica. My bad.
  * Because she’s an honorary member of the Durands, she would have been killed anyways in the massacre. Even if her alliance with Theresa was a secret, Seraphina leaves no stone unturned
  * For those who wish to know why Mila is interchangeably Mila/Emil and why I address them as ‘they’, here’s the relevant posts to explain:
  * Mila is bald in this picture because they’ve just been born
  * I actually do choose these names with their meanings in mind
    * [Danica](http://www.behindthename.com/name/danica) - “morning star, Venus”
      * bc Fates loves stars
      * Actually, she should be named after the planet Mars for her hotheadedness
    * [Mila](http://www.behindthename.com/name/mila) - “gracious, dear”
      * adorable precious baby
      * did nothing wrong
    * [Emil](http://www.behindthename.com/name/emil) - “rival” 
      * Like a rival to Mila… somehow…
      * I’m rooting for you! I don’t know what for!
  * Music accompanied: "Lack of Power and Wisdom" by Nakagawa Kotarou 



* * *

### Lady Magdalena: Love That Cannot Be Returned

["pending quote"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJ2aViNFE1E)

> The bloody Massacre of Durand was a culmination of the revealed collaboration between the noble family and Hoshidans, but the event that sparked investigation was the attempted murder of the Crown Prince Xander by the Consort Magdalena of Durand. Today, Magdalena is a popular subject of tragic plays and dramas, well known for the associated themes of unrequited love and foolish hope.
> 
> The illegitimate daughter of Paulino of Durand and an unnamed commoner woman, Magda and her sister were welcomed to the Durand household as servants under the condition that they keep silent of their lineage. While Paulino remained the head of the family, the sisters were treated fairly, but after his passing, they were subject to Saverio’s cruelty. Hoping to provide a better means of living for herself and her sister, Magda agreed to assist her stepsister Theresa of Durand in her question of political dominance by seducing the king of Nohr.
> 
> Once she was made a consort, Magda’s sister was taken in by the mage’s temple as promised, while Magda continued to stay by her stepsister’s side. Although she was grateful to the king’s kindness, the consort had her eyes set on another: the crown prince himself. Unfortunately, her subtle acts of favor to Xander had gone unnoticed by the target of her affections, but not to Theresa.
> 
> Theresa then blackmailed Magda into leading the crown prince to a secluded quarter of the Esterlynian Woods, where a hired mercenary lay in wait. For added effect, Magda was persuaded to take her own life to cover up her death and the prince’s as a lovers’ suicide. However, Magda’s ardent love and lingering wishes to not leave her younger sister alone did not cloud her judgment as Theresa had thought, and she saved Xander from the fatal blow.
> 
> Upon failure, Magda’s stepsister revealed the details of her love for the prince to the court, sparking a whirlwind of rumors. The disheartened king was ready to sentence Magda to death for playing a part in the murder attempt, but Crown Prince Xander requested to spare her from punishment since she had warned him and exprsesed regret. Despite the heightened controversy, Magda was sentenced to house arrest in a secluded part of Castle Krakenburg. Her younger sister was turned away many times by the royal family, and the two sisters were forever separated then. In their last meeting, Prince Xander asked that Magda would use this time to let go of her infatuation for him, since he did not return her feelings.
> 
> Yet distance only made her heart grow stronger, and Magda collaborated with her sister’s greatest enemy, Lady Seraphina of Minett, to bring down her traitorous stepsister. Seraphina promised Magda protection from Theresa another chance to see Prince Xander and her sister once more. Her information proved vital to uncovering House Durand’s traitorous deeds and set the stage for the bloody Massacre of Durand. However, she was not spared from King Garon’s sentence, and was displayed among her kin at the gates of Fort Dragonfall.

You wanted drama? Have some drama!

  * In early drafts, there had been a Magda and Magdalena. But then I realized that was not a good idea to have two women with the same name, so I combined them.
    * According to an old draft, Magda was originally a slave woman offered to Garon and was treated more cruelly than with Leila because of her former slave status
    * She was to be childless because she was poisoned by Annaliese, leading her to ally with Theresa or Seraphina
  * At first, I honestly didn’t have much for Magda’s backstory aside from her relation to her younger sister, who is a crucial character in this AU (and a very easy character to figure out)
  * I actually didn’t throw in the whole “actually in love with Xander” angle until like a week ago since I wrote this. Actually, this kinda ties a lot of things together. Good job, me!
    * Magda was infatuated with Xander in the classic “crash into hello” in the middle of a hallway, and she was surprised he would show her this much respect
    * Also, he was much, much younger than Garon, who was a good decade older than her
  * Magda was a noncombatant class, but she had inklings of healing knowledge and held the position of relugating the seamstresses of the royal family
  * Magda often rarely smiled, which her sisters often teased her relentlessly for
  * She and her sister were very, very close. When Magda became a consort, she exchanged numerous letters with her sister. Unfortunately, those letters were burned shortly after her death. Well, most of them anyways
  * In their short partnership, Seraphina and Magda shared a hatred for Theresa, but also both had a penchant for plum and berry pies
  * The accompanying music is a music box rendition of “Euterpe” by supercell, arranged by Vega Orgel



* * *

### Seraphina of Minett: Ambition Unrivaled

["pending quote"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdhTodxH7Gw)

> A star was made in the Nestra’s prized opera house, garnering the attention of the visiting King of Nohr. Impressed by her sharp tongue and keen intellect, just like his late wife Katerina, Garon invited the woman to his court at Lady Leila’s request. Seraphina appreciated the favors she received from the king, but she sought to further her station in life than just a mere entertainer from a foreign land. She took advantage of her growing reputation as Garon’s new favorite to manipulate his subjects to bend in her favor. In due time, she was made an official consort of the king and soon gave birth to Princess Camilla.
> 
> While Seraphina thrived in the Nohrian royal court, her growing popularity could no longer be ignored by Theresa of Durand. Feeling that the younger consort was too full of herself, Theresa attempted sabotage through any means. Eventually, the Witch of Fallmount succeeded in poisoning Seraphina, who survived but could no longer sing for her king, causing her to fall out of favor in the Nohrian high society. Humiliated, Seraphina marked Theresa as her lifelong enemy and planned a long, grueling campaign of vengeance.
> 
> Desiring to continue making herself useful to the king, Seraphina became a master Sorcerer in a few years, even holding a relatively high position in the mages’ temples as a researcher. She used her connections to improve her status and reputation by slowly having members of her family installed in the upper echelons of Nohrian government. With Albrand support, her newly established noble House of Minett skyrocketed in popularity, so much that the king was so willing to partition a good portion of Fallmount to the Minetts, as she requested. Although she met violent opposition from Theresa and the Durands, Seraphina continued her relentless assault, finally culminating in the Massacre of Durand, an event brought by fate and calculation on her part.
> 
> Although she had accomplished her revenge, she lost a great deal of her own family, in mind and body. Her beloved sister, cousins, and friends had been lost to the violence. Her daughter and surrogate son, Camilla and Damian, eventually grew disgusted with her lack of restraint and went to live as their own person. The rest of her surviving family grew distant, burdened by their guilt for taking part in the horrific massacre. Her husband, the king, had long given up on spending his affections her.
> 
> With little to turn back to, Seraphina lost herself in her work as a sorcerer. She quickly grew past her disappointment, comforted by the fact that she secured the future of her surviving loved ones, even if she was no longer a part of their lives. Seraphina later succumbed to illness from exposure to the dangerous chemicals and experiments she worked on, and passed away in her office at a mage’s temple, alone. Despite their faltering relationship, the royal family made sure she had a respectable funeral and kept her portrait on display in Castle Krakenburg.

  * Xander and the twins were scared of Seraphina sometimes because of the things she does, but she’s never tried to harm them
    * Perhaps because she honors her alliance with the Albrands
    * She also has no ambition to take control of the throne
  * While she really isn’t any better than Theresa, Seraphina ended up on the right side of history and lived longer, and also is known for helping in putting out the traitorous Durands
  * For someone with a lot of connections, she had very few true friends. That possibility went away after Leila died, and she always kept everyone at a distance.
    * Marianne is probs the closest to a friend she had, but Marie kept to herself and kept their exchanges short
    * Arete was a mystery to her, but still offered protection nonetheless. She thinks Arete could have avoided death if she had agreed to an alliance.
    * Seraphina trusted Gabby enough to allow her to to teach Damian, but she constantly called Gabby’s loyalties to question (Gabby was a Durand after all)
    * Yvonne was too afraid of her to try and be more forward with her
  * She gave her kids an illusory freedom to do as they liked so long as they do the certain favors she asked of them (i.e. assassinating other siblings or enemies, sabotaging their rivals, gathering information)
    * If they had doubts, she would gaslight them to kingdom come
    * Even though she made them do unpleasant things, she comforts them about their conflicting feelings, because “that’s the way things are”
    * She was also pretty paranoid and often encouraged similar behavior with her kids (don’t trust people, always have a method to backstab them, you can only trust yourselves, yada yada)
    * They learned a lot from her about surviving to this day, as much as they hate to think about it
    * She has her moments of kindness, but her kids find it hard to tell if she really means it or if she has ulterior motives
    * At least Seraphina cared to make sure her kids were self-sufficient (she never expected them to stay with her anyways), so that if she died before them, they could live on and carry out her revenge if left unfulfilled
  * Considering how Damian was all for revenge, he didn’t mind the manipulation until he realized how bad it was
  * Nelly was forever grateful to her aunt and would do anything for her and wanted to avenge her parents.
  * Camilla saw her mother for who she truly was and regards her with mixed admiration and disgust
    * Her mother was an amazing self-made woman, but was too consumed in revenge and extreme pragmatism (she let her own sister and friends die to carry out revenge) to be a good mother
    * She came to dislike how her mother masked parental love for getting what she wanted out of them (her paranoia gone too far)
    * Even more so, she didn’t care about involving innocents, and even got her daughter involved in it
    * With her siblings, Camilla tries to be kind and genuinely loving as possible, but that overextends to possessiveness
    * To Camilla, she doesn’t manipulate her siblings, she only acts out of concern for them and consequently smothers them, because she has to prove she isn’t like her mom that she’s capable of being motherly, despite all the crap she’s gone through
  * Her design seems rather sparse in the collar department, but she often lets her hair down so it fills in the gaps quite nicely… and she ends up looking like Camilla that way (Might as well be a spitting image). She was supposed to have an off the shoulder sort variation to her outfit, but I decided to put the cape back on
    * Camilla has mixed feelings about her resemblance to her mom (she often thinks about cutting her hair)
    * To make up for it, Seraphina has a pretty good fashion sense, and makes sure she wants her kids to do the same
  * If I had to compare Seraphina to anyone… Michael Corleone?
  * Music: Libertango by Astor Piazolla



* * *

### Lady Arete: Atoner Queen

(See Royal Family of Valla, under construction)

* * *

### Lady Marianne: A Woman of Progress

["pending quote"](https://soundcloud.com/frank-yin-2/senju-akira-the-awakeningfmab)

> An elderly mage traveling through the Morbank countryside stayed in a small village along the road to resupply her wares. There, she met little Marianne, who possessed a gift for magic after an incident of mixing up her school primers with the old woman’s tome. After learning that the girl had no parents and that her aunt and uncle were more than happy to have one less mouth to feed, the elderly mage offered the girl a world beyond the confines of her village, and they set out together to the mage’s temple.
> 
> Marianne proved to be a studious apprentice to the woman who brought her to the temple. Although she was disciplined in magic, she later found her calling in research and development, which brought her great success within the magic community. The mage’s success in her early experiments earned her title of master sorceress at the ripe age of fifteen. On one occasion, Marianne impressed the king after answering his challenge to find a way to produce more tomes from a single pound of topaz with a new and improved refinery process that was well received throughout the nation.
> 
> Now that she had the king’s favor, Marianne asked for his support so she could pursue her lifelong dream: to bring back some of the experiments of the Memorandum of N for the benefit of Nohr. Interested in the potential of these experiments, King Garon agreed, and named her head of the project and offered some of his skilled sorcerers, Seraphina of Minett and Iago, as advisers. The three worked amicably together, and brought about the creation of the Faceless, humanoid, hulking creatures who only knew to blindly obey and destroy. Marianne was hesitant to agree with her two fellow leaders on the military potential of these monsters, but she conceded and focused on the combative aspects of the Faceless. On Seraphina’s urging, Marianne requested the king to name her consort to help bolster the Minetts’ growing dominance in the court, a trivial matter, but adding an extra title to her name could be useful in the long run.
> 
> Her son Leo was born out of necessity for the consort to secure her position as a consort. At first, she didn’t think much of her own child and was focused solely on her own research, fully expecting Leo to be raised by one of Seraphina’s suggested wet nurses and be tutored by her good friend Horatio. Her opinion changed when she brought her son proved to be compatible with Brynhildr, one of Nohr’s most sacred tomes. Fascinated by her son’s potential, Marianne asked his reluctant mentor to train him to his limits, so she could see the full extent of Leo’s magic capacity. Eventually the boy snapped and cut himself completely from his mother, to which she responded with indifference, just as she would regard a failed experiment.
> 
> Marianne would disappear from Windmire under mysterious circumstances. She was still enjoying her success after her further improvements on  her Faceless creations until her benefactor’s death. With Seraphina gone and Nohr’s recent loss to Hoshido, Marianne had no reason to stay, and she was gone one month later, along with the Memorandum of N. The magic community was tossed into disarray, believing her to be dead like the first princess Diantha, but Leo could not shed a single tear over the loss.

I might have lowed the saturation a bit too much, but oh well. It’s “Take Your Kid to Work” Day, and Horatio is conveniently called in sick. At least Leo isn’t a little shit who’d ruin magic equipment.

  * I was going to put [“Sustained by Hate” by Masashi Hamauzu](https://soundcloud.com/ff13_soundtrack/111-sustained-by-hate) as a tie in theme, but then I went and made myself sad by just listening to it. (don’t take this as foreshadowing, or just try not to)
  * Marie really comes off as a cold, detached person in this bio, so maybe meeting her again after a few years will be a little different, considering the significant changes in her life
    * Even as a child, she was treated as an oddball in her village for being so taciturn and so absorbed in her books
    * She doesn’t usually have much to say unless the topic of discussion is her line of work or the theory of magic in general
    * When she was younger, she used to have quite a motor mouth when she was excited, but she’s mellowed out over the years
    * She strongly believes in giving back to the community who has given her so many opportunities for knowledge, hence her reason for living and her reason for the experiments.
  * As many can tell, Marie’s clothes strongly take after the Sorceror class from the original game
    * I had to make a few adjustments so that she’s “technically” wearing something lab appropriate
    * I say “technically” because she shouldn’t be wearing so many trinkets and feathers
  * Marie’s one of the youngest consorts in the bunch (the youngest being Magda)
  * I guess this doesn’t really line up with how Leo states that his mother treated him as a mere pawn in his supports because Marie was not interested in stuff like power, except maybe extra funding.
  * Marie’s relationship with Seraphina is a professional one, although a lot of times, she’s helped her colleague pull a few strings.
    * Marie was not so concerned about the whole confilct occurring between the houses, but if Seraphina was concerned, she was willing to lend a hand
    * She says it’s because if Seraphina was gone, then she’d be stuck with creepy ass Iago for the rest of the project
    * So they had a strange sort of friendship (both of them weren’t fond of Iago, so that strengthened their relationsip further)
  * Almost everyone in the mage temple is a coffee person. So naturally when Marianne saw Nyx’s recipe for strong coffee, she replicated it right away
    * The coffee turned out to be way too strong for her, but she lets the other mages try it (only a few can actually handle it)
    * Jeremiah seems to like that super strong coffee, however, so she make some for him whenever they had to work together
  * Jerry wasn’t sure of what to think of Marie when they worked alongside with each other
    * Sometimes he felt a little sorry for his least favorite brother because he’d couldn’t imagine Marie being his own mother
    * Jerry respects Marie for her accomplishments, so she’s like a hero to him
    * He can somehow like Marie but hate Leo because of the great disconnect between the two. Neither parent nor child wanted anything to do with each other.
  * Thinking back now (and much later in the story), Leo has a hard time coming to terms with any possibility of reconciliation.
    * Leo also admits that as a very young child, he used to look up to his mother, but later on he realized she didn’t really care for him as a son.
    * He can acknowledge her impact on the magic community, but he still won’t forget how she treated him like a guinea pig.
    * One of the things he hates about his mother was how she would always treat every one of their interactions like a test.
      * Sometimes, it was for the most mundane things Leo would never expect could be a test until his mother pointed it out, and it annoyed him to no end and has made him paranoid in his future interactions.
      * Leo always feels the need to prove himself, and show off his capabilities. It’s one of the many factors that drive him to pursue the case of Diantha’s murder on his own.
    * Leo has never been physically punished by his mother for failing or disobedience.
      * Most of the time, she simply dismisses him and lets him do whatever he wants or sends him back to Horatio.
      * And hahaha boy does that hurt a child for life. He’s actually quite used to getting the cold treatment and abandonment by now.
    * His siblings, Horatio, and Odin have really helped him come so far. Niles has helped a little, too. Leo is blessed to have so many people who love him.
  * Music: The Awakening by Akira Senju



* * *

### Lady Yvonne: Youth and Peace

["pending quote"](https://soundcloud.com/akise-5/tokyo-ghoul-ost-schmetterling)

> After Arete’s death, Garon was encouraged to continue taking more consorts, but the king declared he would only take one more. He left the choosing to his consort Gabrielle, one of the few whom he trusted. On the way to Esterlyn on his request, Gabrielle was severely wounded by a group of assassins sent by Theresa herself and would have died had she not been rescued by a village girl. During her recovery, Gabrielle noted that her savior, Yvonne, was rather gifted with healing rods and was quite particularly beautiful and charming for someone of her station, and the two became good acquaintances. Fate turned for the worse when Theresa ordered the village to be burned, and the knight had no choice but to take Yvonne with her. The destruction of her village left a grim reminder for the young lady of Theresa’s ruthlessness.
> 
> Once they arrived at the province, Yvonne assisted Gabrielle in the task of finding a suitable bride for her king, but to no avail. The war with Hoshida had only just begun, and Gabrielle was expected to take part in the fighting soon. She had no time to search through all the land, so instead she asked Yvonne if she wanted the role. When met with approval, Gabrielle enlisted the help of her stepdaughter Princess Diantha and her friend Claudia of Lovell with training the woman for court life. Diantha was especially excited by her father’s marriage prospects, believing that Yvonne would be the one to lighten up her father’s spirits after the turbulent years that had changed him after her own mother’s death.
> 
> Yvonne’s debut in the royal court did not go as smoothly as planned, for she was intimidated by the consort Seraphina into joining her side in the ongoing conflict among the concubines. Garon himself was seemingly uncooperative about their marriage, but Yvonne slowly became fully aware of his desire to bring about happiness to his struggling kingdom and his broken family. The King’s earnestness to make her feel like less of a poor substitute for the previous wives moved the newly wedded consort deeply and motivated her to be the supportive wife that Diantha encouraged her to be. Yvonne would be one of the last people to truly see Garon for who he was before the summit in Cheve from which he would return a different person. As for her relationship with her fellow consorts, Gabrielle remained a good friend till death, and Seraphina served as a wise mentor of sorts, although her opinion of the latter changed after the Massacre of Durand.
> 
> While Irma and Seraphina were more interested in war and dominance after the end of the blood feud, Yvonne established herself as one of the finest royal healers in the kingdom. Fully invested in fulfilling her husband’s dream of improving the conditions of Nohr, she engaged in much humanitarian work, frequenting the impoverished areas of the capital and helping the injured in battle. The consort was so occupied by her work that she didn’t ever seem to have time for her own daughter, Elise, whom she left in care of the girl’s wetnurse Cassita and later her surviving stepchildren. After Nohr’s devastating loss to Hoshido, Yvonne’s contributions and unyielding diligence became an important factor to keeping the national spirit alive and well to the present day.
> 
> Ever since seeing her husband grow weaker and her friends disappearing one by one, Yvonne worked harder and harder until one day, she collapsed while treating a patient. The consort had caught illness during her travels and had not notified anyone in favor of work. For the first time in years, her daughter came to see her in her deathbed. Elise had known that her mother was a busy woman and had done as little as possible to trouble her, so the young princess visited in the hopes of hearing some form of praise or at least one final conversation. To Elise’s disappointment, Yvonne had become blind from her illness and called for only her husband in her last moments. The kingdom mourned the loss of Garon’s last consort, while Elise and her royal siblings would continue Yvonne’s work to bring peace to their kingdom.

It’s rather sad to see all these wonderful women meet their ends. Almost makes you wish they actually existed… 

  * While Leo grew up hating his mother, Elise was the opposite
    * She had known that her mother was quite a workaholic and accepted that it was fine for her mother to prioritize her husband and kingdom over her own daughter
    * At the very least, Yvonne never got angry at Elise, rather she rarely spoke to Elise. It’s almost like they weren’t related at all.
    * It’s strange to believe that Elise would be such a doormat, but she’s very attached to her mother, even if they aren’t exactly the closest and her adoration was one-sided
    * Had Yvonne recovered from her illness, she and Elise would be the fastest to reconcile, since in that situation, Elise would do everything she could to keep her mother alive, and that would help the two of them realize a couple things
  * One of the ideas I had for Yvonne’s hair was two braided buns on two sides of her head, but she ended up looking too similar to Diantha (although I wouldn’t be surprised if she tried to look like her stepdaughter)
    * I also switched around the hairstyles for Katerina and Yvonne a lot, but then decided on Katerina’s hair resembling Elise’s more
    * Think of it as rebellion on Elise’s part, choosing to emulate a different consort who wasn’t her mother (although honestly, that would make Yvonne happier)
    * She was also meant to be a redhead, although I don’t know if she would have stayed alive for so long with Theresa around
  * Despite what the ilustration would imply, Yvonne dressed fairly modestly, preferring simpler clothes she could work in but stil favoring the colors of House Lorenzen. She also follows Diantha’s pattern for simple circlet designs.
  * Being a master healer (she learned a few things from working from the mages in Buelen), Yvonne is not really squeamish with the side of blood or gore
  * Yvonne worked extensively with Diantha in the area of medicine and healing, although she was very much afraid of Theresa, who was in the same line of work
    * Theresa actually wasn’t aware of who Yvonne was, and had ordered the village to be burned with the intent of killing Gabrielle. Nonetheless, she was not very nice to Yvonne either.
    * Yvonne would take over Diantha’s garden after the princess’ death, and continue growing the pumpkins the princess loved so much
    * She wasn’t as experimental as the previous owner, but she would begin proposing the idea of cultivating plants without the need for soil, an idea that Marianne would accomplish a few years later.
    * Maintaining this garden helped her grow close to her stepson Xander, who would come to the little garden to pay his respects to his deceased sister and brother
    * She couldn’t comfort him all the time, but she let him do his work in the garden and sometimes tend to the plants while she was away
    * Of course, Elise can be a little jealous that Yvonne ended up being friendlier with her brother rather than her own child
  * One of Yvonne’s favorite flowers were the crocuses that grew in abundance outside of her village, so she grew some in the garden to remember where she came from
  * Music: Schmetterling by Yutaka Yamada



* * *

### Illustrations

Lady Leila is a dancer because you know, it’s not like there aren’t enough mommy dancers and their kid duos (just how many are there in fire emblem?).

Xander, get in there. Don’t leave your mommy hanging!

> “Don’t leave me here, maman! I’ll be alone without you!”

I’ve always wanted to do something with harsh lighting, but I kinda puttered out by the end, and ended up with this half and half thing. Just watch, this is going to look pitch black on my phone.

> “Why should I weep over my own mother? She’s never looked me in the eye as her son before, so how was her departure any different?”

No, that’s not a support line, so don’t go looking for it. Anyone who has taken a peek at timelines might know what I’m going for here.


	18. Distinguished Nohrian Characters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A compilation of several biographies of Nohrian OCs

###  Cornelia of Minett & Sloane of Ragnar

_Josette was the first to join her sister Seraphina in the formation of the noble house Minett, intially sworn to the Albrands. Some Nohrian nobles were not pleased with this development, most especially the Durands, enemies of House Albrand. Josette and her husband Dominique were murdered in their new home in what would later become Janholt. Their daughter, Cornelia, was left in the wreckage which was set aflame. Although she was rescued by her aunt,_ _the girl sustained multiple severe burns on her body and face._

_When Cornelia was announced as Prince Damian’s betrothed, many questioned if the pairing was made out of pity, but she set out to prove that she was more than just the pathetic future wife of a Nohrian prince. She began education with House Ragnar in the north and came back a fully fledged Wyvern Knight. The nobles who doubted her value were impressed by her performance in tournaments and quickly supported her and her fiancé. Her success was just like Seraphina had calculated in her plan to increase the influence of the Minett family._

_In the four years she spent in Vandale, she met a boy who would later become Prince Damian’s first retainer, Sloane of Ragnar, son of Tatiana of Ragnar. Although taciturn at a first glance, the boy turned out to have a sense of humor that would often go unnoticed because of his lack of expression. Damian and Sloane got along quickly after a silly misunderstanding that the latter was in Windmire to steal Cornelia from the former. From then on, the trio were inseparable, in both war and peace._

_Cornelia and Sloane were absent from the final battle where Damian and Sydney died. Both of them were injured from a previous battle and were unlikely to recover in time before the battle began, and the prince forbade them from following him into the fray. Perhaps he was correct to ask this of him, since he ultimately died by Hinoka’s hand, his body desecrated afterwards. Both Cornelia and Sloane would not be the same as they were before that very battle and could not bring themselves to see whatever was left of their lord. Reeling from the loss of their friend, Sloane asked Cornelia if she wanted to leave Windmire, to which she agreed. After their marriage, the two moved back to Vandale for a more peaceful life._

_Cornelia now leads the Vandale Outer Guard, protecting the outer regions of Vandale and having full control over the , with Sloane by her side as her right hand and loving husband. When Nohr enters a third wave of fighting with its neighbor Hoshido, Tatiana of Ragnar, the house head, takes over her duties and and asks Cornelia to follow Prince Leo to battle as the representative general from Vandale._

* * *

We’ll begin our discussion of “Nohr’s Next Top Consort” really soon, but first a little interlude.

  * Cornelia’s story and conflict isn’t exactly all that groundbreaking, I know, but she’s serves to be an important figure for Camilla and Damian and is a connection to past events.
    * She’s meant to be a bit of a static character in the main storyline because all her greater development occurred in the past, so she’s mostly there to be part of Leo and Xander’s party, and later Camilla and Anri’s party if the option is there
    * I guess she still has stuff to work out with Camilla bc they’ve grown cold to each other after Damian died and because of their differing opinions of Camilla’s mother
  * Personality-wise, she’s tries to emulate her aunt Seraphina a lot, so she’s comes off as a serious person.
    * However, she’s a very straightforward person and loses patience more easily compared to her husbands
    * She wants to think she has a flair for the drama, but she comes off as incredibly hammy (shut up it’s an endearing trait)
  * If Nelly hadn’t been unable to fight and Sloane hadn’t lost a limb, both of them probably would have went wild and killed Hinoka the moment Damian died
  * The braids and beads that Nelly wears is somewhat of a medal of honor for wyvern knights who’ve completed training up in Vandale all the way. Camilla trained in Windmire, and did some magic training over in Morbank.
  * Her favorite food is strawberry cake, but she’ll take any type of dessert, especially whatever Damian and Camilla make.
  * I actually didn’t intend to give her such extensive burn scars, or any scars in general, but just a few days before I drew up this picture, I thought she looked a little too similar to some other characters, so I was like, how about some scars?
    * She probably did go through a stage where she thought Damian was not against their betrothal because he pitied her burns, and Damian is like “of course not I really love you” and yada yada
    * Speaking of scars, Sloane hardly has any compared to his two other friends. Damian and Nelly call him “pretty boy” all the time because of that. He’s also the most well adjusted out of the three of them since his upbringing is rather normal.
  * The Vandale Outer Guard are huge axe fans and also will hurt anyone who make fun of their captain’s scars or husbands
    * A lot of the outer guard had grown up with Nelly when she was still training, so it’s like a class reunion up there
  * Nelly gave Camilla a really nice axe crafted by one of outer guard blacksmiths to commemorate the time Camilla promoted to a Malig Knight
    * It’s Camilla’s ~~Sexy~~ Axe, and is the one that’s usually depicted in her promotional artwork
    * I made a little frowny face when I saw that the in-game model for the axe doesn’t have all the pretty decorations like in the art
  * As a wedding present, Damian gave Nelly a silver version of his lance, which he calls the White Luna
    * She’s held onto it ever since, even if she isn’t a lance specialist
    * Often times, she lends it to Sloane
    * They take the White Luna with them when they depart from Vandale with Leo’s group
    * Later on, Hinoka recognizes that she is Damian’s widow by the shape of the lance in comparison to the Black Luna she keeps
  * The wedding was pretty big and festive, even though it occurred in the middle of a war
    * Camilla was of course the maid of honor, and Sloane was best man
    * It was quite a good moment of levity for the entire royal family, although that ended up arousing pressure on Xander to take on a wife, which he hasn’t done because of all the issues he’s had in the past few years
    * Surprisingly, Garon himself attended the event and gave the happy couple his blessings, which gave everyone hope that he was getting better again
    * Anri was totally jealous he couldn’t see the festivities, but the family saved him a slice of cake and were very detailed about what happened at the wedding
    * Damian totally mentioned that he got married when he was fighting Hinoka in one of their duels, like “heyyyy guess what someone put a ring on it, by the way that’s my wife in the skies watching us~”
    * You know what, he was literally Maes Hughes for both his retainers and wife, like if he had photos of them, he’d never stop showing them off ~~(and he also died)~~
    * Maybe I’ll get around to illustrating their wedding, but choosing a wedding dress for Nelly is hard because she’s so picky with her clothes (she doesn’t like showing off her body scars because it’s personal)
  * Nelly and Camilla have differing opinions of Seraphina
    * Nelly feels totally indebted to her aunt and deeply respects her and would be the first to defend her decisions.
    * Camilla doesn’t worship her mother and is highly critical of the actions she has taken.
    * Damian is sorta in the middle of the two, since he knows how Nelly feels and also sees the dick moves aunt Sera has done for what they are.
    * Despite this, Camilla has deep respect for Nelly and was partly motivated to become a wyvern knight because of her
  * Camilla had a hard time understanding Sloane, but she was always amused by how Nelly and Damian always fall for his pranks and take way too long to find out
  * Nelly is aware that Anri exists, and hears accounts of how adorable he is from Camilla and Damian, but she’s never seen him in person because only immediate members of the royal family were allowed to see him, and she was already of in Vandale when Anri was finally able to live in Windmire properly
  * Since Nelly can’t conceive, she and Sloane plan to adopt a few kids and it’s not much of an issue because they’re on the same page about this
    * That has been put on hold because of the trouble in Vandale and the war against Hoshido. Here’s to hoping they survive.
    * Just adopting a lot of kids seems to run in the family (Camilla, her aunt, and her cousin Julius all adopt kids at some point in their life)
  * Music Accompaniment: [Shounen wa Soshite Ou to Naru](https://soundcloud.com/amanda-landry-175867776/arslan-senki-ost-01-shounen-ha-soshite-ou-to-naru) by Taro Iwashiro



###  Sir Lockie of Albrand & Lady Faye: The Stars That Fell Too Soon

_Lady Faye began as a squire from House Albrand in the midst of the Nohrian Civil War, a bloody conflict between the last heirs to the Nohrian throne. The noble house was split in two, one siding with the abominable Lord Oswald, and the other siding with the young brothers King Hugo and Prince Garon. Faye was still young when she escorted Lady Katerina around Nohr, but she proved her mettle in the final battle as vanguard. She was made a knight and royal retainer to the royal family alongside her colleague Sir Zhara, who went on to serve Princess Diantha._

_As retainer to the crown prince, Lady Faye served as Xander’s primary swordplay instructor once he decided to follow the path of the blade. Known for her raucous laughter that echoed in the halls of Krakenburg, the knight loved to tease the young prince but dispensed good advice, even though Xander didn’t always appreciate her words. Despite her great affinity with the fellow knights of the order, Lady Faye swore to never marry and was well known for spurning the advances of many men who wished for her hand in marriage._

_Sir Lockie of Albrand, the son of Violeta of Albrand and Sir Gunther, was chosen to serve his cousin, the crown prince, from the very moment he was born. Xander regarded Lockie as one of his closest confidants, third only to Princess Diantha and Prince Marius. Quiet and thoughtful in his early days, Lockie made quick friends with the crown prince, and they often spent long knights together in the family libraries to read their favorite books together._

_Lockie greatly admired the many warriors and knights in his family, but he simply could not stand blood so much that he fainted at the sight of it when he was young. His struggle had not gone unnoticed He later reaffirmed his position as Xander’s right hand and retainer when he won the family tournament in a display of honor and good restraint. Many likened Lockie to his father, Sir Gunter, and expected that he would follow the same noble path, but fate made it not so._

_In the second wave of the Nohr-Hoshido conflict, a strategic error left the crown prince stranded without reinforcements against Hoshidan soldiers. Lady Faye and Sir Lockie fought with their lives to protect their crown prince and help him escape the overwhelming number of enemies. Distraught by the loss, Prince Xander relented in his assault on Hoshidan lands and agreed to an armistice with the High Prince of Hoshido. He grieved for two years afterwards and could not bring himself to hire new retainers until his siblings raised concerns about his health._

_Today, a new pair of retainers walk beside the crown prince. But the memory of waking up on Lockie’s abandoned horse still burns in his memory. His fallen retainers were give a hero’s funeral, and their names are enshrined in the many plaques that line the Garden of Champions._

* * *

Well, this was a long-deserved bio.

  * Faye and Lockie are meant to be foils to Peri and Laslow, as Xander says in his support with Laslow
    * Lockie is squeamish about spilling blood and is afraid of doing violence unless it’s for his cousins
    * He is also from House Albrand like Peri. While Peri doesn’t care as much for proper behavior, Lockie was pretty much the model nobleman
    * Faye is pretty blunt and loud and sometimes overlooks Xander’s feelings on a situation
    * She’s also somewhat presumptuous of men’s advances towards her and is quick to reject them
    * Peri and Faye are fairy themed names
  * In case you can’t tell, Faye was a Hero Class, and Lockie was a Great Knight like his dad
  * In this AU, Gunter’s wife and son didn’t get killed by Garon as he says in Revelations
    * Violeta, who was a direct sister of Consort Katerina of Albrand, died from sickness
    * And as for Lockie, well, you know the rest.
    * Gunter unfortunately survives his own son by just a few years because he too permanently dies in the beginning of the story
    * What a sad life for this family…
  * Lockie knew Xander and the twins pretty well, so he was just as stricken as Xander when Diantha and Marius died
    * Lockie often comes to Diantha to ask for extra medical supplies whenever Xander gets a bruise from training but is too self conscious to ask for help
    * If not for Lockie, Xander likely wouldn’t have stayed sane when he was looking for Diantha’s murder and failing
    * As an only child, Lockie was thrilled when his cousins came to stay over. When he became Xander’s retainer, he was so happy he didn’t leave a single thing in his own room at home. His parents had to dissuade him from taking everything with him.
  * Faye is ridiculously good at holding her liquor and went unchallenged when she was still alive.
  * Faye thinks of Lockie and Xander as her own sons, and will kick anyone’s ass if they treat her boys wrong
    * She really didn’t like Consort Magdalena for attempting any advances towards Xander and made sure to obstruct her attempts to get with Xander
    * She also helped Lockie get over his fear of blood (well, not really, she just helped him not freeze up at the sight of it) and snapped at any knights in training who bullied the kid
  * The Garden of Champions (mentioned in my bio of Consort Gabrielle) is specifically for those of the royal house, but retainers do have their place there as well.
    * They just don’t get a big special statue.
    * Their names rest on the pedestal that is meant for Xander when his time comes.
  * Music Accompaniment: [Sustained by Hate](https://soundcloud.com/ff13_soundtrack/111-sustained-by-hate) (Final Fantasy XIII) by Masashi Hamauzu



###  Marquess Claudia of Lovell: Reputation at a Cost

_A haunting evening in the House of Lovell began with a startled cry of a young servant as Lord Barnaby fell gravely ill after a helping of wine after dinner. Lady Beata of Cantrell, whom he had married after his first wife passed away, had grown weary of living in a family she didn’t love. After poisoning her husband and leaving behind her infant son, Beata ran away with her paramour, never to be seen again. Claudia, then eleven years old, had never felt so terrified for her future since then._

_Her father survived the attack, but he was deemed no longer able to assume leadership of the family. Responsibility would fall upon her aunt, Lady Ainsley, who would carry out her duties until Lady Claudia was of age. Realizing that time was of the essence, Claudia vowed to dedicate herself to cultivating her position as the future Marquess of Esterlyn, and wanting for little else but to preserve the respectability of her house._

_She hadn’t thought about friends until one visit to the national capital with her aunt to testify on her father’s accident to the royal court. There, she met the First Princess Diantha out in the Garden of Champions tending to what little greenery was managed there. Charmed by her skill with the Brynhildr, Claudia often paid visits to Diantha at the castle to watch her tend to the plants around the castle, and most importantly, stay in the princess’s company a little while longer before she had to return to Esterlyn. Before Claudia departed, Diantha then gifted her with a wreath of violets as a reminder of their friendship._

_Years later, Lady Ainsley would abdicate her position early and pass the title of Marquess of Esterlyn to her niece, who had spent years intensely studying, only stopping to write a letter to the princess she had befriended years ago. As fate would have it, the two reunited again in person when the royal army marched east to defend their borders against Hoshidans who had grown violent after the death of their queen. Using her experience with maintaining border relations, Claudia was a key figure in helping the royal family organize a peace treaty, a great accomplishment for someone her age._

_But her fortune did not last long. However, she could not prevent the failure of Cheve Summit, which resulted in the death of the Hoshidan king. She was forced to take blame for the lack of security, her reputation taking a hard hit. To further add to her troubles, her brother Silas was banned from ever studying in Arlcliff again for breaking the law, which brought his upbringing into question, as well as hers. The feather that finally broke the camel’s back was the night her friend turned lover, Princess Diantha, was officially pronounced dead after disappearing one night. By the time the second wave of the Nohr-Hoshido conflict came to an end, Claudia was a tired, empty shell of a woman._

_The three years of uneasy peace and then a few years more from a nearly successful war effort allowed Claudia time to recover and come to terms with her losses. She regained her reputation as a skilled deal maker after successes in revitalizing parts of Esterlyn’s dwindling agricultural gains and various trade agreements with Nestra. Today, she holds a key position in the war council and is the crown prince’s adviser in diplomatic matters. But not all is completely well underneath her accomplishments, since she had once again sacrificed her personal relationships for her accomplishments._

* * *

I was going to draw Jakob into this, but Claudia took up a lot of space. Also, what the heck are all the inscriptions on the Fates’ Physic staff?

  * I suppose Claudia does look like Liprica from Shadows of Valentia or a silver haired Emmeryn (I pulled the hairstyle from Emmeryn when making Claudia’s sprite portrait in the fic after all)
  * Claudia’s design is meant to be very similar to her brother Silas and stays very much in line with the default Strategist design.
    * It does say a lot about the Lovells going for a very plain look (Even Dennis still looks pretty normal)
    * Claudia herself often admits that she can be a very boring person, but that never stopped Diantha from loving her
    * Often times, she likes not being noticeable so she can do her work in peace
    * Her ideal self is to be reliable, and being known for being dependable, but not to be too much of an attention getter, which is rather contradictory to how she’s so obsessed with keeping a good image
  * Claudia’s personal hero is the Consort Calanthe of Lovell, who was King Garon’s mother, and her grandmother’s cousin. She also really hates her stepmom for poisoning her dad and running away.
    * Her tendency to give great respect to traditions makes her a “stickler for the rules”
    * Silas often thinks she’s too uptight and therefore difficult to be around, but Dennis tells him to try and understand her
    * Silas often feels she hates him because his mom is Beata, or that he’s done shame to the family name and by extension her, but as the cliche goes, no she does care about his safety and his future, too
    * Even Silas can play the annoying little brother when he finds out that Claudia has been seeing other men and women in the time of the story, prompting him to join Dennis in teasing her about it
  * Jakob does have a good reason for being extra protective of his master because after Diantha’s death, Claudia was a complete wreck
    * He’s one of the few people who know Claudia as a real person, and he gets very defensive at any insult thrown at her
    * He often has to remind her to sleep and eat, and gets antsy whenever he sees her handling blades or knives
  * Most of Claudia’s non-business interactions with people is people saying “Wait you don’t know what ___ is???”
  * I relate to Claudia when I’m studying, because that’s the time I have no social life and I’m a total killjoy to my friends in study sessions
  * Xander considers Claudia one of his few well respected friends since he and Diantha belong in the same circle of friends (Marius fits in too but he prefers the more fun-loving kinds of people)
    * By extension, Claudia was also very good friends with Lockie of Albrand, Xander’s retainer and cousin
    * Claudia eagerly helped Xander search for Diantha, and was inconsolable after being forced to accept failure
    * If Xander does have thoughts about marrying Claudia, he’s often worried that Claudia thinks of him as a substitute for Diantha, or that Claudia doesn’t feel ready to move on
    * Claudia is often willing to trust Xander’s judgment so she gets along with any other possible consorts with ease
  * Piano Accompaniment: [Piano to Anna by Hiroyuki Sawano](https://soundcloud.com/tistory/11-piano-to-anna) (Gundam Unicorn)



###  Julius of Minett & Dennis of Lovell

_Blessed by his forefathers, Dennis was raised all his life to become a knight worthy of the Lovell name, an honor he loudly made known to anyone he came across._ _Julius had no expectations to serve in the Nohrian military himself. He was born to a pair of highly successful in Nestra who suddenly received nobility status when his aunt Seraphina became consort to King Garon. Eager to make use of their new status, he was encouraged to join the academy for Nohrian knights in Westerstede. There, the two met, beginning as bitter rivals, and soon as relentlessly unstoppable partners._

_The two were a force to be reckoned with in battle, one who had superiority in range, and the other in close combat. They are both best known for following Prince Marius into battle to drive Hoshidans away from the border towns in the first wave of the Hoshidan-Nohr Conflict, and were key players in Prince Xander’s bid to secure Hoshidan lands in the second wave._

_Their shared glory was cut short, when Julius was forced to retire shortly after he sustained a grievous injury that prevented him from setting foot on the battlefield again. After coming to terms that he could no longer fight alongside his love, Julius returned home to Janholt with his head held high._ _His mother, who managed the family after his father’s death, decided that it was time for her to step down so her son would properly inherit the family leadership._

_Dennis, meanwhile, continued to rise up in the ranks of the royal guard and carried out many military successes for his country and house. He now serves on the war council as a representative from House Lovell and is seen as the future of the Nohrian military who would go on to serve the up and coming crown prince. And yet, no other partnering bow knight could compare to Julius for Dennis. Despite this distance, their respect and love hasn’t faltered, and they paid each other visits regularly. It was only a matter of time when Julius presented Dennis with a ring, but of course, Julius wouldn’t make it easy and made it a puzzle for Dennis to solve._

* * *

Yeah, their bio portrait do look a little more sinister than they actually are, but they are supposed to be the evil power couple if you went a Birthright Route.

  * Julius was supposed to be a Cavalier like Dennis at first, but I made him a Bow Knight instead so he can resort to long range attack instead now, but that just made him more similar to Leon from FE15. My bad.
    * Julius isn’t so shabby with swords either, which was a regular thing he used for sparring with Dennis
  * Yes, I know, Dennis is kinda like Kieran from FE9. I wasn’t sure who I was thinking of when I made Jules.
  * For those who haven’t read [that one part in “As Dark Comes the Night”](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7514896/chapters/18967960), they would be together for one map, likely to support Leo who is defending Fallmount and Janholt in a Birthright route
    * And as named characters, they have death quotes, related to each other
    * Can you spare one while killing the other? Nope. You kill one, the other will refuse to negotiate or be defeated safely. You’d have to spare both of them which would be a challenge.
  * Their support conversation leads up to their engagement, but they’ll get married anyways further in the future so long as both of them are alive.
  * Silas is much closer to his cousin Dennis than his sister Claudia, but Dennis always wished the two siblings would get closer together
    * When Silas got kicked out of Arlcliff for doing a bad (like bringing his crush outside the castle walls for a picnic), Dennis taught Silas a lot of stuff he missed while he was grounded and sent back
    * Without Dennis, Silas wouldn’t have been able to get back on track to being a knight
    * Although Silas does get embarrassed when Dennis shouts out loud that he’s proud of his little cousin
  * Julius, Cornelia, and Camilla make the pillars of the future of the Minett family, so they get along swimmingly
    * Julius promised Camilla and Nelly that his doors are always open to them
    * When Camilla does decide to adopt a lot of kids with Selena, Julius makes a whole building just for the kids because he and Dennis are just as ready to be parents, too
    * Add Damian to the equation, too because Seraphina adopted him
    * Jules and Damian are pretty friendly with each other, mostly on principle because Damian didn't have a loving brother until after he was rescued
    * All of them are bilingual so they delight in the petty activity of speaking in Nestrian when in the presence of non-Nestrian speaking people they didn't like
  * Julius was never brought up with expectations to become a knight, so he had to work twice as hard as Dennis to be the same level
    * He had always believed he was going to take over the family business and jump start a large trading company
    * Probably, he’ll make it happen anyways
    * One discarded ending I came up with the story ended with Anri setting out on a voyage because he did so much shit he felt he could no longer stay in Nohr or Hoshido.
  * When they first met, Dennis thought Jules was too much of a coldhearted person, although Jules didn’t give any fucks, which infuriated Dennis further
    * Dennis was a bit of a dick when he was younger, too, so he used to think he was superior to Julius who was a newly made noble
    * Julius was better friends with Nichol, who also didn’t have a stellar of a background either (he was a stable boy who sassed and won his prince over), and Dennis with Prince Marius, so they were bound to meet up even more
    * Oh, yes, they have tried to physically fight with each other, but their respective friends did not let them lay a finger on each other until they got along
    * Otherwise, they had some pretty intense shouting matches, although Dennis has always been the louder one
    * Julius’s scar on his cheek came from one of their fights
    * Dennis, who proclaimed himself the best of the best, grew frustrated and anxious about his own ability every time Julius prevailed while he couldn’t
    * They both had the bad luck of constantly getting paired up, but that did help Dennis understand Julius more as a person, and he really came to love Julius and his quick thinking personality
  * Don’t forget that Theresa wanted to squash the Minett family as soon as it was made a noble family, so you bet your ass she had probably tried to get Julius killed a few times
    * That’s also a contributing factor he had to consider when making decisions
    * He’s lucky not to have suffered as badly as Camilla and Cornelia, but being shunned widely at the academy was probably not fun
    * Actually, he’s got Dennis to thank, who quickly realized that he was a dumbass for underestimating Julius
  * Their first kiss probably happened because Dennis dared him to. Julius would think dares are stupid until he has to stop Dennis from trying to announce to everyone how he’s bad at kissing
    * He really isn’t. Quite the contrary, actually.
  * Julius has personally participated in the Massacre of Durand, and he’s been trying all his life afterwards trying to make up for it, but that hasn’t stopped his shrewd ways
    * While that’s something that everyone in Minett want to do, he feels most personal about the issue since he is now the head of the family
    * So he’s more likely to think in terms of family first, everyone else later, and hides a resentment for the current royal establishment (the Albrands included) for the massacre
    * He’s rational enough to not unfairly transfer hate to people like Xander and the other royal kids (his cousin was with him, too), but he dislikes Augustine of Albrand’s obsession with tradition, and questions whether Odelia would serve his interests
      * He already wrote off the Gehrings as being useful for his family, so that’s why he tries to ask Anri to give him Fallmount
    * At some point when Xander decides to kick Garon off the throne, Julius easily swears loyalty to Xander because he thinks Garon is getting old and out of touch
    * He hopes that getting Garon out of power and putting a more open minded Xander, Camilla, or Leo will encourage other families to start placing young blood at the front of their families to responsibly lead the nation to a future
  * Julius is very particular about saving money, while Dennis is not as worried about money
  * FE15 Spoiler: As evil as their portrait scene (and their seeming penchant for dancing), at least Dennis wouldn’t kill Julius and serve him to an evil dragon god
  * Music: [Eiyuu Denshouki](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OV9K5fNFSV0) by Taro Iwashiro (Arslan Senki)




	19. Mila of Lorenzen Q&A

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An archive of answered questions about Princess Mila/Prince Emil, the short lived child of Consort Danica. Despite the fact they died as a baby, I get questions about them, and what they could have been like.

  1. Why does Mila have two names?
  2. Why does Mila/Emil's gender depends on Corrin's gender?
  3. What would Roswitha's relationship with Mila be?
  4. What would Mila/Emil would have done if they lived?
  5. What would their relationship with their mother have been like?
  6. How did Mila confess to Rose?
  7. What would Rose's child look like? Who's the redhead?
  8. How would Mila have thought about their siblings?



* * *

_#q1: i'm not sure if i just missed the info somewhere, but is there a reason behind mila/emil always being referred to with two names? just curious, especially given that we don't know much about them or their short life._

_\- Anonymous_

I was going to talk about this in Danica’s bio, but I can explain it now. I penned this story to be workable with a male or female Corrin, so Mila’s role is to fill whatever empty space Corrin didn’t take. So… if this were integrated into the game. Mila would be born a female if the player chose to be male, while if the player were a female, Mila would be a prince named Emil. That way Leo and Elise can keep their number and rank, regardless of Corrin’s gender.

I should have chosen a name that worked for both genders like Esme or something to avoid this confusion, but I liked Mila and Emil as names. Also, Damian’s name was originally Esme in the early drafts before I fully established his origins, so that got me really confused. I tried to remedy that by changing Dami’s name to Benedict, but then I realized that would get mixed up with Benny/Benoit.

* * *

 

_#q2: Why does Mila/Emil gender differ depending on Corrin's gender? (I also really like your edits you did on the siblings of Nohr and Hoshido.)_

_\- Anonymous_

Oh, thank you!

Like I said before, Mila/Emil was meant to fill in for whatever place Corrin didn’t take. Thus, the number of siblings would remain the same (equal princes and princesses), and Leo and Elise’s numbered rank wouldn’t be mixed up if I wrote anything for, say, Arisa (F!Corrin), instead of Anri (M!Corrin).

Case in point, here’s a table copied directly from my personal writing notes:

(Ignore the part with Damian as Great Knight. This chart is three months old.)  
With Anri in mind as 6th Prince and Mila as 6th Princess, there’s a balance. Leo and Elise are 7th Prince and Princess, respectively. But if I had kept Mila and changed Anri to Arisa, Mila would end up 7th Princess, Elise, 8th Princess, and Leo, 6th Prince. See how confusing this is? If Corrin and Mila/Emil simply switched places, there wouldn’t be a number mix up.

There’s also the case of Azura’s questionable lineage, but I’d say people may have disliked Arete but recognized her rank as consort to allow Azura to keep her status. Or they didn’t care and simply pronounced her dead, even though she’s alive and waterbending in Hoshido, so she technically keeps her rank when she’s dead.  
All in all, it was mostly a matter of considering gameplay choice and writing with both male and female Corrin in mind to avoid stuff like massive edits of dialogue and scenarios.

To be quite honest, I certainly feel like I could have done something better, like maybe keep their gender ambiguous or change their name to Esme like I wanted, but I don’t think it changes anything because Mila/Emil died a toddler and wouldn’t have much impact on anyone except Danica. When I’m already this far into plot, Emil/Mila’s character is the least of my worries.

_Addendum: I speak about this matter on the subject of what gender Emil/Mila was assigned at birth. Regardless of this fact, they were still going to be genderfluid anyways._

* * *

 

_#q3: What's Rose's relationship with mila/Emil? I'm asking cause she's holding them in the first picture_

_\- Anonymous_

They don’t, because Mila was born and killed before Rose returned to Windmire. The reason why they’re together in the lineup is because I hadn’t fleshed out their stories at the time. Back in an old draft, Mila and Rose’s mothers were supposed to be related rather than Rose and Jerry’s.

* * *

 

_#q4: Two Questions. One, if someone decides to write something that includes both a Male and Female Corrin, does that mean we get both Mila and Emil as well? Second, could you chart Mila/Emil's personality at age five, ten, fifteen and twenty had they lived to see the events of Fates?_

_\- spooner-the-trinity_

The names Mila and Emil were interchangeable for the sake of keeping the script consistent since having a female Corrin instead of a male Corrin would mess up the numbering for Leo and Elise. Unlike how Anri and Arisa (two different versions of Corrin) are different people, Mila and Emil are the same person. They just have a prince or princess title and name depending on whether one wants to play as Anri or Arisa.

If Mila/Emil did get to live long enough to be a character in Fates, they would be a pretty rowdy child, much to Danica’s dismay, but they would grow up to be a really bold individual. They wouldn’t be afraid of taking risks, although to a fault, and are very nonchalant about court etiquette, even more so than Marius. Despite their differing names and titles, I imagine Mila/Emil would be very petty. By petty, I mean they take a lot of delight in confusing newcomers about what they look like by just changing their appearance very often and leaving the new people guffawing (and hopefully awed). They’d love playing other kinds of pranks on their siblings and colleagues, with Damian and Mars’ help.

That isn’t to say Mila/Emil doesn’t have problems. Considering the life they lead, they would spend their early years struggling and coming to terms with their lifestyle, but with some support from their siblings, they’d be more assured in their confidence. There’s also the part where their mother Danica has connections to Theresa, so in part they would have to struggle with that part of their identity, too. Perhaps those in the family like Damian take a long time to warm up to them, but they would be a much more active character who wants to win their uncertain siblings’ respect.

* * *

 

_#q5: Assuming Mila/Emil survived, (or at the very least, in their teenage years) what would their relationship with their Mother Danica be like?_

_\- Anonymous_

Danica would coddle their child a lot, but as time goes by, she’d be much more hands off, which pretty much fostered Mila/Emil’s rebellious behavior. Despite this, Mila/Emil adore their mother a lot. Since Danica is not connected to any noble house except House Lorenzen, Mila/Emil would likely coddle their mother back, a bit of a surprise for people who don’t know them better, since Emil/Mila often at a glance just seems like a very annoying, loud teen.

Danica probably would have done something against Theresa if she had been allowed proper justice, so she would spare herself and her child from the royal decree that called for Durand’s execution, but people still would be skeptical of her allegiances. Growing up, Mila/Emil would find personal shame in being associated with House Durand and understand the harm that Theresa had done to their mother, so they would work hard to thrive in spite of that stain in their history.

Danica loves that her child would be such a success, but she often thinks they overcompensate too much. She also wishes Mila/Emil would be more interested in literature like she is, but the closest thing they’ll be willing to read about for days is the kingdom that Danica came from.

Assuming Mila/Emil never died such an early death, what would their relationships with the other siblings be like and how much would they appreciate each other's presences?Anonymous

  1. **Xander** \- Finds Mila’s lack of boundaries unsettling, but enjoys their company because Mila has a way of bringing levity to a situation. But he has a limit to how much he can take their boisterous personality.
  2. **Diantha** \- Mila is a breath of fresh to the castle, but Mila also has a tendency to get hurt a lot. Aside from lengthy lectures she gives whenever she heals them up, Diantha allows Mila to get away with a lot of things and will cover for Mila a lot. Mila is eternally grateful.
  3. **Marius** \- Best sibling ever. It’s advisable never to invite them to a game of truth or dare together. Those two are relentless, and the puns are not helping at all.
  4. **Jeremiah** \- The absolute worst. Mila has probably broken some of his equipment because they weren’t careful enough, and he has no patience to teach the kid lab safety so they’re banned from visiting the mage’s temple, which effectively means he doesn’t ever see them.
  5. **Damian** \- At first, is unwilling to be friendly to Mila because of their past, but realizing that Mila is in an identical situation as he was when he was younger brought around a change of heart. He serves as one of the more relatable siblings for Mila.
  6. **Thomas** \- Finds Mila overwhelming at times, since they are complete opposites. Mila is often able to single Thomas out and try to encourage their brother to reach out more instead of living in Liselotte’s shadow. Thomas finds their advice beneficial but sometimes too extreme.
  7. **Roswitha** \- It all starts with a slightly embarrassing and really loud confessional statement in the middle of the training arena. Rose isn’t sure how to handle Mila’s boldness, and often just goes along with their sibling’s antics.
  8. **Camilla** \- Finds Mila intriguing, and is supportive of Mila wanting to try all sorts of things. She loves to suggest clothes for Mila to try, since Mila doesn’t mind wearing anything so long as it fits them. Mila also likes to suggest food ideas for Camilla, and often offers to be the taste tester.
  9. **Liselotte** \- Is appalled by how dumb Mila seems to be, yet they haven’t died yet. She wants little to do with Mila, which does push them to abandon any wish to bridge the gap between their mothers.
  10. **Azura** \- Would be first to come to Azura’s defense. They don’t have much to lose because they don’t have much of a name aside from the royal family, and their reputation was already spotty since the day they were born. Azura is surprised by the lengths Mila would go to protect her, and she is less willing to leave, not when she has people like Mila and Damian taking care of her.
  11. **Anri** \- He considers Mila as the eldest of the younger batch of siblings, but likes to think he is the voice of reason between Mila’s recklessness and Leo’s pragmatism. But since he tries so hard to play mediator, he ends up getting dragged into Mila’s misadventures. Mila would probably help Anri sneak out of the castle if Silas hadn’t done it first.
  12. **Leo** \- Finds Mila annoying. At least Anri has the decency to say the word “please” when he wants to interrupt Leo’s reading time. In other cases, Mila sometimes has the gift of coming up with weird ideas that end up working, so he finds some merit in listening to what they say.
  13. **Elise** \- Fun at all times, no bars held down. At times, the rest of the family think Mila can be a bad influence on her, but she doesn’t mind at all. Mila has always wanted a younger sibling who doesn’t doubt them all the time, but to be fair, Anri and Leo have good reason to be a little concerned.

* * *




_#q6: I'm interested in what that loud embarrassing confessional statement in the middle of the arena between Rose and Mila._

_\- Anonymous_

* * *

 

_#q7: What would Roswitha's child look like when she married Loren? Who is the red-haired person who is holding a Rose Fanclub Sign? Is the person a she or he?_

_\- Anonymous_

I honestly don’t know what kind of person Rose and Loren’s speculative child would look like. Probably someone with light blue hair since blue/gray hair is the trademark of being a Lovell. Just to help diversify the hair colors in the royal family.

The hot-pink haired person is Mila. They are the 6th Prince or Princess of Nohr, depending on the gender of the player character. Unfortunately in the timeline, Mila died very young, so in that post with the fanclub sign, it’s just fun speculation as to what they would look like if they had survived. Despite the title and gender they were assigned at birth, Mila doesn’t prescribe strictly to either category.

_#q8: Had Mila/Emil survived long enough to really get to know them, how would they have felt about each of their siblings?_

_\- Anonymous_

  1. **Xander** \- The one brother who’s constantly better than them and is really distant because of his duties as a future king. Everyone says he loves them a lot, but it’s kinda hard to tell.
  2. **Diantha** \- The nice sister who always patches up their bruises from training. They love the flowers and vegetables she’s always trying to grow.
  3. **Marius** \- The second best sparring partner ever.
  4. **Jeremiah** \- The mean brother, but he hates a lot of people, so they’re not so special.
  5. **Damian** \- Loves this brother a lot. He likes to help people and dance with them, and he always wants to become a better person. He’s like a superhero.
  6. **Thomas** \- The quiet brother who gives good advice once in a while and makes good cookies, too.
  7. **Roswitha** \- Best sparring partner ever!
  8. **Camilla** \- The other nice sister who suffocates them with hugs. It’s hard to learn to be a proper royal, but she’s so patient when teaching them.
  9. **Liselotte** \- A scary girl who you shouldn’t accept cookies from. Her mom is twice as scary. Avoid at all costs.
  10. **Azura** \- A quiet little sister who probably needs space once in a while. Would think Azura is introverted.
  11. **Anri** \- The little brother who needs to be babied because he’s clearly not experienced with the world as them, but his desire to help people in need is rather admirable.
  12. **Leo** \- The smart little brother who’d snark at their supposed lack of intelligence. But he’s a badass, so he’s allowed to gloat a little.
  13. **Elise** \- What an adorable little sister! They love sneaking out of the castle and meeting all the townsfolk while in disguise.



<under construction> 


	20. Main Storyline Q&A

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Answered questions to fill in the gaps between various chapters of the main story.

  1. What trouble did Kaze get into with the Hoshidan royal family in that flashback chapter?
  2. So what happened to Takumi's possession?
  3. Why did Xander suspect Hans was behind Diantha's murder?
  4. Who is Karolina of Gehring?
  5. Did Hinoka ever tell the Nohrian siblings Damian's last words?
  6. Does Azura resent Hinoka for Damian's death?
  7. If Garon's not really evil anymore, what about Iago and Hans?
  8. What went on while Anri was traveling with Kaze and Rinkah over by the canyon?
  9. Are Anri and Azura related to the kings of Nohr and Hoshido?
  10. Does Hinoka still become queen of Hoshido in this AU?
  11. Are Takumi and Sakura Mikoto's kids or Ikona's?
  12. How did Xander react to Leo get Brynhildr after Diantha died?
  13. Does Azura ever find out what happened to Thomas?
  14. Have there ever been any shady dealings about who Xander has to marry?
  15. How old is Nyx?
  16. How did Anri get captured by Hoshidns if Lilith no longer exists?
  17. Did Garon or Hugo wield Siegfried before Xander in this AU?
  18. How would the general Nohrian public react to Xander's potential consorts?
  19. Why is Anri pissed at Azura after Chapter 15?
  20. What happened between Garon and Xander after Chapter 15?
  21. How would Flora be recruitable in Birthright?
  22. How do Xander and Kaze get along?
  23. Does Azura get any retainers?
  24. DId Hoshido ever apologize for the deaths of the royal kids during the war?
  25. Wow! All this necromancy makes water maidens sound creepy!
  26. What do you mean "Arisa is dead and also on fire"?
  27. How do Nohrian last names work?
  28. How does Silas' relationship with Anri in Conquest differ from his relationship with Arisa in Birthright?
  29. How would Arisa and the Hoshidans deal with Matthaus' faction in Birthright?
  30. Why is Silas so mean to Kaze at the beginning and why is he so possessive of Anri?
  31. What is the name of the Fates' continent?
  32. If Dragon Veins come from the souls of Vallites, where would the ones made by the deceased characters be?
  33. How does the retainer system work in Nohr?
  34. What languages are commonly spoken in Nohr?
  35. What are the strengths and weaknesses of Xander's marriage options?
  36. Would a Nohrian queen have multiple male concubines?
  37. Did Garon have any male consorts?



* * *

_#q1: Could you clarify what Kaze got into trouble with the Hoshidan Royal family for? ([referring to this comic of Kaze encountering Arisa (Corrin) when they were young](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7514896/chapters/17998477))_

_\- Anonymous_

Don’t worry, he’s not in trouble! He’s just really tired.

I’d like to believe that when Kaze and Saizo began training, Kaze started out being the least durable of the two, and fell behind sometimes during intense training sessions. This didn’t bode well for their father, who expected both of them to be on par with each other and of course demanded perfection. So, while Kaze didn’t get punished, he sustained a lot of bruises from sparring and just regularly went to the well to freshen up before visiting a healer.

Arisa (Corrin) isn’t exactly aware of everything that goes on in Kaze’s life, so she assumed he got in trouble because of the bruises and bandages. Most royals didn’t really pay him much attention because he’s a ninja in training, so her act of kindness really stuck with him and helped him understand his position as a ninja and future retainer. If you really wanted to think he got in serious trouble, I always thought he and Saizo started out as mere messengers for the royal family before becoming fully fledged ninjas. Traveling in country isn’t an easy task, especially long distances. But yeah, no real trouble here. Now after the whole Sumeragi incident, that’s a whole different story.

* * *

 

_#q2: Since invisible soldiers from Valla aren't going to be a thing in this AU what are you going to do with Takumi's possession? Is it still going to happen or do you have something else in mind?_

_\- evonee_

Takumi’s possession will no longer be in this AU because Anankos’s power is no longer as omnipotent as in canon. Plus, I want to place more emphasis on Takumi’s conflict with Anri because he really made Conquest’s story shine for me in those moments up until the endgame chapter, and I love him a lot for being the sibling I related the most to. Poor kid already has a hard time sleeping well and he’s lost so many people in the worst way imaginable, so I’m inclined not to make him suffer any more than he needs to.

Takumi’s personal issues will still be preserved and addressed, and without the possession going for him, his position in the alternate plot will be very interesting. He’ll be spending more time in Cheve and helping the Chevois rebellion, which is a complete arc of its own, among other things.

In fact, the Hoshidan family will be given more screentime and development because of their extended presence. I was a bit disappointed that Hinoka and Sakura didn’t have as strong of a presence in Conquest, so I’ve been trying to write them into the story more often, most especially Hinoka. What I have in store for her might be unexpected, but I feel like the route I’m going would be interesting to explore and maybe expand on her character. I’m pretty confident with what I have for Sakura, and then there’s Ryoma who I’m not as sure on because I need more time to understand him better.

* * *

 

_#q3: Is there a reason Xander suspected Hans for Diantha's murder?_

_\- Anonymous_

(reference to [3.2: Xander](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7514896/chapters/17998207))

Hans used to be a cleaner for organized crime in Nohr, and has assisted in many of the awful events that have transpired within Windmire. He was a contract killer during the Albrand-Durand conflict and was also part of the cleanup for the Massacre of Durand. Xander had his retainers look for evidence, but they only came up with detailed maps of Castle Windmire and a record of intercepting Diantha’s letter to Claudia.

Hans had a clear alibi on many accounts on the week Diantha died, but Xander remains unconvinced. The details of where and how Diantha died are still unknown since most of the direct sources Xander needed went off the grid as soon as she disappeared, so his personal theory is that someone from the Durand family survived and, via Hans, ordered a hit on Diantha, who was in a hurry to Macarath at the time. The problem is, it’s a little difficult to find any survivors of the Massacre of Durand. Seraphina and Garon were extra careful about that part.

* * *

 

_#q4: A question: you drew a comic featuring Camilla and one of your f!Corrins (Alisa, I think?), where Camilla was nearly assassinated by one of her half-sisters. Which sister was that? Or did you rework things a bit?_

_\- Anonymous_

([Reference to 6.1: Camilla & Arisa](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7514896/chapters/17998687))

Ah, yes, I did actually rework a few things. The girl who threw herself out the window is Karolina of Gehring. Roswitha is the other one in the same comic, but more on her later.  
She and her mother Verena of Gehring will get their own post one day, but I can talk about the changes to her here. Karolina was originally supposed to be second princess (right below Diantha). In fact, her original name was Diantha (whereas Diantha was Karolina), but when I decided to move her, I wanted someone named Diantha in the royal family, so I switched the names around.

I removed Karolina from the royal family because I had too many kids to work with (I could have cut Thomas out as well, but I decided against it). At the same time, I started to move forward with the idea that I shouldn’t isolate the conflict among the concubines. Some of the concubines came from the noble houses, who probably wouldn’t have sat still while their daughters were trying to off each other. By moving Karolina, I could show that it wasn’t just the concubines vying for attention and power, but also the noble houses were in on the game as well.

Also, Verena, Karolina’s mother, wasn’t able to stand out as a concubine, since once again, too many characters. By moving Karolina out of the family, Verena also got a unique backstory for herself as well. So it was a win-win situation for both characters.

* * *

 

_#q5: On Damian's profile it says his last words were directed towards his family, so I was wondering--did Hinoka ever get the chance to pass those words on to the other Nohrian royals? I think it would be a nice little scene if she did, at some point._

_\- Anonymous_

Damian was one of the few Nohrians Hinoka had any respect for, but up until now, she hasn’t gotten an opportunity to talk to any of the Nohrian royals or Damian’s wife.

She did tell Azura what happened as soon as she got back, and comforted the girl afterwards. When Anri comes back and does his usual habit of wandering around places where he shouldn’t, he discovers his brother’s Black Luna propped up on a wall, and gets the full story from Hinoka. Anri later shares the details with Camilla first on the way to Windmire because he notices that she’s not happy about Xander and Leo fighting each other in the weeks Anri was missing.

* * *

 

_#q6: Does Azura resent Hinoka for killing Damian?_

_\- Anonymous_

Yes, but she’s more fixed on how Hinoka isn’t completely apologetic about it.

* * *

 

_#q7: Wait, if King Garon's seemingly not as evil, is there any change to Iago and Hans or are they mostly the same as canon?_

_\- Anonymous_

Hans isn’t changing too much other than the addition that he has something to do with Diantha’s death, but Iago is going to have some more fleshing out.

He’s not changing in personality all that much, since he’s still a really valuable general in Garon’s circle. He still has something against Anri because Garon is giving him too many second chances and is a bit too eager to make trouble for the kid, maybe even kill him. He’s also been involved in some of Nohr’s shady history, and was a part of the research on Faceless. 

* * *

 

_#q8: So Anri has been traveling to Shirasagi with Kaze and Rinkah from the Bottomless Canton for a month instead of the original few days and chapter 5 is stretched to a week. What were the Nohrian siblings doing this whole time? There is absolutely no way they would just sit there and wait until Chapter 6 for 5 weeks straight._

_\- Anonymous_

Preparing for an inevitable war, although I’m laughing at myself because it’s a repeat of what happened the first two times (Queen Ikona, King Sumeragi, and Prince Marius’ deaths).

Until Anri showed up on the battlefield and got picked up by Camilla, no one from Nohr has confirmed whether or not Anri is dead or not, but a lot of the higher ups decide to operate under the assumption Anri is dead, which is good enough grounds to declare war, but since it’s a stupid idea to charge into Hoshido when they got their asses kicked last time and that mist barrier still protects the capital, they’re “taking extra precautions.” The Hoshidans on the border are equally confused about Anri’s disappearance because his capture was a secret mission known only to the Hoshidan higher ups (i.e. only Ryoma, Mikoto, and Yukimura), but they know the Nohrians are pissed off.

Most of that month is the royal kids scrambling to assemble a quick army to park out on the border, in case Hoshido tries anything funny. That means running around Nohr a bit to gather troops and telling the major noble houses to get off their asses. House Albrand is all for it because they really want to get back at the Hoshidans (even though everyone’s telling them they’re trying NOT to do that). House Lovell, Minett, and Buelen are all fueled by paranoia and pitch in because they’re on the border and will die first if they don’t do anything. House Gehring is a complete mess and can’t do anything, so they get skipped over, while House Ragnar is not taking any house calls for some reason, which is why Leo has to go visit them later.

Xander sees that Hoshido has also lined up on the border, ready to get their hands dirty, too. He spends a lot of time staring down and then arguing with some Hoshidan general about whoever has grounds to park their army out on the border, but that escalates to more skirmishes, which the Nohrian generals are more than happy to take part in. The Hoshidans who knew nothing about Kaze and Rinkah’s assignment start out thinking “okay, we might have killed him, so they have good reason to want to fight us, but we can’t just let these sore losers walk all over us.” Then Anri pops up in Shirasagi and kills their queen, and then they are all “Okay, we were playing nice, but now it’s fucking personal. By the way, here’s your fucking prince, but he’s our prisoner now. You better pack your bags before Ryoma comes to kick your collective asses.”

But now things get really suspicious for the Nohrian royals, who thought this entire time that Anri got unfortunately killed/captured by the awful Hoshidans. Now it seems like MAYBE daddy Garon allowed Anri to die and assigned Anri to do something out of his character so he could instigate a war while also eliminating the pesky factor of the barrier around the capital. Leo points out how it’s weird, to Camilla and Elise’s agreement, but Xander says nothing can be done about it now, because now no one is willing to back down and solve this mystery.

Also Leo was still very dissatisfied with Xander’s answer (or lack thereof) about why he didn’t tell them about Hans and Diantha. He gets Niles to go steal Xander’s older journals and files and decides to conduct an investigation of his own. On top of traveling around to help gather troops, Leo has been retracing everything Xander found out about Diantha’s murder, which isn’t so hard because Xander was ridiculously detailed, but that means sitting through all of Xander’s embarrassingly angsty journal entries.

* * *

 

_#q9: So wait in this story line is Anri and Azura related to the kings of Nohr and Hoshido?_

_\- Anonymous_

Arete and Mikoto (Eirene) are sisters from Valla, and the elder was the ruler and high priestess of Valla. Her husband Hesiod married into the royal family. Azura is Hesiod and Arete’s daughter and still has no blood relation to Garon, while Anri is actually Sumeragi’s son and wasn’t conceived out of wedlock but is acknowledged by the royal family as a legitimate son.

* * *

 

_#q10: Does Hinoka still become queen of Hoshido in this au? I have a feeling that Cornelia and Sloane might not like that._

_\- Anonymous_

If this were a game, having multiple endings revolving around one’s choices sounds like a fun idea, and since this is influenced by Revelations as well, I guess there would be paths where it’s entirely possible that she doesn’t have to be the queen.

I can’t really cover all the possible paths, so I’m only covering one path I thought of, but I do love my happy endings, as long as a decent enough price is paid. 

* * *

 

_#q11: Are Takumi and Sakura Mikoto's children in this AU, or are they still Ikona's?_

_\- Anonymous_

They’re still Ikona’s kids, which is why Anri is the weird one out of all of them. Though it would be hilarious to see three dragons prancing around in the Hoshidan plains.

I can imagine it: Fire Emblem Fates starring the idiot deer, the angry deer, and the shy deer. 

* * *

 

_#q12: How did Xander react to Leo getting byrnhilr after after Dia's death?_

_\- Anonymous_

Mixed with the canonical feelings that he was relieved Leo chose to specialize in magic rather than the sword, this was one of the first steps Xander took on the long process of letting go of Diantha and understanding that he has other siblings and friends to reach out to. He’s happy for his little brother. A little wary about what Leo would do next and still sad that Diantha is dead, but still a little happy.

* * *

 

_#q13: Does Azura ever find out what happened to Thomas, and if so, what is her reaction?_

_\- Anonymous_

She wasn’t totally aware that Thomas was a Durand, so she vaguely hoped he was still alive until Anri comes back to Hoshido and tells her when she asks about Thomas. If she were seven years old, she would have cried, but now that she’s an adult, she bottles it up because she hadn’t expected Tommy to live that long. 

* * *

 

_#q14: Has there been any shady dealings concerning Xander's potential bride/future queen, or has everyone just sort of written that off for the moment due to the drama with the royal family and the impending war with Hoshido?_

_\- Anonymous_

I’d say Xander’s marriage prospects had been written off for a while because of the war and also because Xander literally shut himself off from everyone for a few years. Garon wasn’t in much of a rush to make sure his children needed to marry anyone, either, but he likes the idea of letting his kids choosing who they want to be with and how many.

That isn’t to say there haven’t been nobles who’ve tried to push women into Xander’s lap at any possible opportunity. Some people are beginning to entertain the idea that Garon is getting too old for his job, so it’s high time for some nobles to push the topic of marriage hard on Xander and the other siblings. The Albrands have tried a couple times before at social parties, but Xander has become good at evading such encounters, so their best player at the moment is Peri. The Durands don’t want anything to do with him, so they’ve never tried to pitch anyone to him. After Claudia’s betrothal to Saverio of Durand was annulled, a lot of people are telling her to aim higher because of her connection to Xander by Diantha.

The other kids (sans Damian) aren’t bombarded as much with these topics, but it gets tossed around once in a while for them, too. Although anyone who’s tried to talk Elise or Leo into getting set up with anyone at social events gets death glares from all the other siblings and Garon.

* * *

 

_#q15: i don't know if it might be a plot relevant thing that you can't say just yet but with nyx writing the memorandum and it being found in the temple of the dusk dragon, in the au, could that mean she's been something like a priestess, or a descendant of kleo? (or least likely, kleo herself?) also, how old is she, more or less?_

_\- Anonymous_

The temple of the Dusk Dragon is one of many, but the particular one that housed the memorandum, the biggest of the temples, belonged to House Buelen and is thought to be at most two centuries old. Nyx is one of many other scholars who attempted to regain the knowledge that was lost with the departed priestesses. Whether she succeeded or not has yet to be seen.

On another note, Kleo died in some heroic fashion and was succeeded by her four children, two daughters and two sons. It’s not really clear whether or not the four founding noble houses are related to any of these children because Kleo’s kingdom eventually merged with another later down the line, and only House Lorenzen seems to possess any dragon-like qualities.

* * *

 

_#q16: How did Anri get captured by the Hoshidans in the beginning of the story in this AU? Since Lilith and the Deeprealms are gone I was strangely curious how you worked around that_

_\- Anonymous_

It’s a lot less dramatic in that Hans chopped off the bridge while Gunter and Anri were on it. Gunter gets Anri to safety on the other side but dies while doing it. Anri gets totally lost and gets knocked out by the Hoshidans, or Rinkah if he’s lucky. Eventually he does end up in Rinkah and Kaze’s hands because Kaze negotiates with Saizo to take care of him on Ryoma’s orders. He is then taken to Rinkah’s village to recover.

Maybe I should just write the snippet for that. It’s not as hard as making brand new scenes, so that might help clear things up.

* * *

 

_#q17: I had a thought about the royal weapons: though Brynhildr chose more than one person as their wielder, did Garon or Hugo wield Seigfried before Xander in this au? Garon is shown to use axes instead so curious if you had any ideas about it._

_\- mrmissmrsrandom_

Garon owned the Siegfried before Xander, although I always pegged him as the guy who’d educate himself in all sorts of weaponry. Supports do say that the royal children technically learned how to use all kinds of weaponry but settle for the weapon of their choice later down the line. I imagine Garon is no different.

Hugo posessed Brynhildr, since he was not as good as in melee combat as his brother. Brynhildr is still an extremely powerful tome that can match up to Siegfried, but since she isn’t made from Kleo’s Vallite alloy, she isn’t considered in ceremonial rituals that verify whether a child is of Dragon’s Blood.

* * *

 

_#q18: Since Xander's future wife and Siegbert's mother is still a mystery, I'm wondering how the other nobles and general people of Nohr would react to each of the possible future queens?_

_\- Anonymous_

Peri would be the most conventional choice among the nobles, since everyone would probably see it coming. As for his other choices, they’re a little more unconventional, so some nobles like the Albrands would protest heavily to the idea, but it’s Xander’s choice, not theirs, so all they can really do is grumble a lot (and then put twice the pressure on poor Siegbert). The people might prefer the less conventional choices Because “cool someone who can represent us!” and might not really be a fan of Peri.

Of course, the possible queens may face the possibility of “not having legitimacy to marry the king” from snooty old Augustine (Albrand). Tatiana would come swooping in on her wyvern and say “this girl is such a badass I’m totally adopting her and she gets full rights blah blah blah so there *drops mic* and fuck you too Augustine”. Claudia would also be behind whoever Xander chooses because she has always trusted his sense of judgement. It wouldn’t be so hard for the people to accept the new queen.

* * *

 

_#q19: Why is Anri pissed at Azura? Or would it be spoilery if you explained?_

_\- Anonymous_

I’ll admit Anri turning cold to Azura is a spoiler of some sorts, but I’ll spill, a little. Anri and Azura have a falling out in the re-written Chapter 14 and 15. Rather than making Chapter 15 about the trip to Valla (and gaining Gunter), Chapter 15 consists of Anri participating in the king’s hunt for the alleged assassin dancer. Anri does not take Azura’s opera dance gambit very well, or rather, he does not take her attempts to cover up her involvement in the incident when he tries to make her come clean about it. Chapter 15 would reveal the whole necromancy aspect of Azura’s power and her other not so fun secrets and motives.

The rest of the Nohrian family (sans Elise) aren’t too happy with Azura, either, but they’re rather ambivalent, since they owe Azura so much to saving Anri so many times. But the older siblings (and Leo) have been burned too many times before to just forgive Azura. They can’t kill her for attempted treasons (she’s too valuable to kill), so they’ve taken to putting her under some sort of house arrest. Azura has no incentive to leave, either, so she follows their rules to stay in the army.

 

Thankfully in later chapters, Sakura takes Azura’s side and slaps sense into Anri to reconcile with their sister.

* * *

 

_#q20: Along with Anri and Azura's fallout I'm interested in what happened between Garon and Xander. It looks like they had a fallout too._

_\- evonee_

Xander is presented with conclusive evidence that Garon is no longer fit to rule much earlier in the plot. He then decides to act independently of his father’s orders after another assassination attempt in Mokushu that nearly took his and Anri’s life. He hopes to intercept Garon and Iago’s forces before they hit Fort Jinya, but that proves to be difficult when his father actually accounted for the fact that he could go rogue. The only exception now is that he doesn’t account on Anri succeeding on forming an alliance with Hoshidan forces, and Azura.

* * *

 

_#q21: How would Flora be recruitable in the Birthright route (if she doesn't die for plot convenience) or if she does die, how would it be handled differently?_

_\- Anonymous_

Flora would arrive very late into the story, since she is separated from Nohrian troops when Arisa is captured by Hoshidans. She returns to the Ice Tribe and stays to protect her father until Hoshido starts marching into Nohr. In the Birthright route, the rebellion in Fallmount would have succeeded (the Gehrings would fall and Scarlet would have declared Fallmount independence). Flora would join the secondary effort to support Hoshidan occupation of Nohrian lands, mostly because Garon wouldn’t have that much influence all the way from Krakenburg.

Either that, or she would somehow make it to Hoshido as a prisoner with Arisa. I’m not sure exactly the full plot of Birthright would have been.

* * *

 

_#q22: You'll probably reveal this later on if it's relevant, but will Xander and Kaze get along (based just on previous posts on how Midori is studying medicine in Nohr later/ I think Marius's comments on Kaze in another post)?_

_\- Anonymous_

Since Kaze and Silas function as Anri’s official retainers and liasons for Prince Anri, Kaze will serve as Anri’s messenger to Prince Xander. This becomes an important point in an arc following the Cheve Arc where Xander assembles a counteracting force against a critical Hoshidan offensive. Since Anri already faced so much controversy over choosing a Hoshidan as a retainer, Xander would understandably be wary, but Kaze’s pretty good at winning people’s trust, so that’s pretty much settled.

Kaze’s knowledge of herbs (and Mozu’s) does give Xander the idea of finding people to continue his sister’s work. His siblings aren’t exactly able to set aside time to do it (except maybe Elise). His children, Ornella and Siegbert, and his siblings’ children aren’t all that big into medicinal studies, either.

* * *

 

_#q23: Does Azura have any retainers for this AU?_

_\- Anonymous_

Yes, she gains her own pair of retainers, since House Lorenzen recognizes her as a Princess of Nohr. Flora formally agrees to be Azura’s retainer since they decides they might as well make her bodyguard duties permanent (and also give Flora a platform she’s been looking for).

Shura is her second retainer, a position he gains after assisting Xander’s rogue army in Mokushu. Shura didn’t have much of a choice in becoming her retainer (either Xander and Anri put him in the position or Azura does it to save him), but it’s better than not dying and losing a chance to revive Kohga.

* * *

 

_#q24: Did Hoshido ever apologize or try to send condolences after the deaths of the royal children?_

_\- Anonymous_

The Hoshidans in general aren’t too willing to say sorry when it’s a member of the Nohrian royal family who started the fight, considering that Marius died right after Sumeragi did, and we all know how Damian’s remains were treated, if that’s any kind of condolences. There was very little proper open dialogue between the two nations, although there were feeble attempts during the truce.

Although now that Nohr is building some rapport with ex-Hoshidan territories like Mokushu, people like Anri are promoting cross-culture cooperation, and the eventual big moment of Xander splitting off from Garon’s army for the sake of less bloody confrontation with Hoshido, this will change.

* * *

 

_#q25: All the necromancy that is going on in this au would make Lyon (from FE8) a happy man. Speaking of necromancy the water maiden idea is becoming really creepy now._

_\- evonee_

On the upside, Anri is still fairly human compared to Lyon’s dad, so long as Azura continues to have a good conscience like her mother did. Garon isn’t as lucky with Anankos tugging on his leash. I’m starting to wonder if Mikoto would have tried the same with Sumeragi if she recovered his body. In some ways, water maidens are sort of like lichs. I guess if you want to be powerful to bring people back from the dead, there’s got to be some sort of equivalent price.

* * *

 

_#q26: What do you mean by "Arisa is dead and also on fire"? Did she get a bad end?_

_\- Anonymous_

Nah, she’s also the same as Anri, meaning she’s also more or less undead since the beginning of the game. At some point, she goes into a burning fortress to rescue someone (maybe it’s a family member, or maybe someone else) and prove her loyalty even though it’s really dangerous. She nearly dies again doing so, her armor completely burned and damaged (hence the obligatory class change to Hoshidan Noble). As for whether not Anri and Arisa have a bad end, that’s something would be up to the player’s ability.

* * *

 

_#q27: Do characters have their own last name, or is their sir name the name of their house? Example: Xander Lorenzen_

_\- Anonymous_

Nohrian characters of noble birth have a surname corresponding to their house. So, yes, as an example, Xander’s surname is Lorenzen, but he is addressed as Xander of Lorenzen as a full name to denote that he comes from the royal house of Lorenzen. I imagine characters like Niles or Beruka wouldn’t have a last name because their background never calls for one (and says a lot about their former status before becoming retainers), whereas Gunter would have a surname of sorts because he’d be addressed as Gunter of Melsbach, the village he came from.

I would have tried to give everyone surnames according to place of birth if they weren’t nobility, but it’s really hard work deciding on names. If I get that chance, I’d want to give character surnames corresponding to their region of origin, and that’s really difficult since I constructed Nohr’s culture from such a diverse amount of stuff.

Hoshidan characters have surnames too, which is the name of their associated clan or family. I did put some extra effort to give everyone, even the non-noble ones, surnames, so characters like Azama Suguro and Oboro Torii have last names even though they aren’t related to any significant noble clans. Mostly because most of the surnames I gave them are distinctly Japanese in origin so it was easier to put together.

* * *

 

_#q28: I'm assuming Arisa is gonna end up with Silas and Kaze as her retainers like Anri in the Hoshidan AU. Is her relationship with the two any different from Anri? Overall, would you say the relationship is better or worse than it is with Anri?_

_\- Anonymous_

Yeah, Silas and Kaze are still her retainers in a Birthright route, although I would imagine their relationship would change because they work for the Hoshidan army.  
Silas is most certainly out of his element working in the Hoshidan army. He’s only allowed to walk free because Arisa asked Ryoma to spare him. He’d be very touched that she still remembers him vaguely enough to grant him mercy. In the Nohr route, he has to understand that Anri can’t solely rely on him and is willing to trust former enemies to get what he needs. In Birthright, it’s almost a dream come true for him that Arisa more or less has to rely on him since he’s one of the few reminders of her home in Nohr. In that way, she opens up to him a lot more than Anri does at first.  
Silas also has to deal with the general treatment of Nohrians in Hoshido in the same way Kaze had to fit into the Nohrian army, but it’s quite different because it’s not just him enduring this hardship, but it’s Arisa’s burden, too. He has to stand back and endure watching Arisa get treated unfairly by the many Hoshidan generals, right up to the point where she nearly burns herself to death just to earn their loyalty and respect. Silas also doesn’t face the immediate aftermath of abandoning his post for the sake of his childhood friend in Birthright, although it does hit home later when he comes back to Nohr.

Kaze gets Silas’ role as Arisa’s preliminary guide of sorts to the outside world of Hoshido and helps the Nohrian characters transition to Hoshidan life. Arisa still retains a friendly relationship with him like Anri does, although. There does come the part where other people seek to control Arisa because she’s completely new to Hoshidan politics, so Kaze seeks to help her navigate it however he can. Since he’s already dealt with his “guilt for not saving Arisa years ago” back when he and Arisa traveled in the prologue, his conflict is likely more to do with his place in the family and with Saizo. His guilt does come back after Arisa does her “burning woman run”.  
Early on in the story, I’d imagine that Arisa would be traveling to the Wind Tribe village with Sakura and Azura to get answers about her lineage, and Mikoto’s past. Kaze would naturally accompany them, and he slowly learns that Mikoto’s plans for Arisa and Azura weren’t as nice as they seem, and that her death was to prevent these plans from ever coming to fruition. He starts questioning if this was a plan of Nohrian or Hoshidan influence (it’s messy because it’s Arisa who did her in), and it leads him to more questions when everyone starts suspecting that Hoshidan individuals were behind it. It would just as messy as the Conquest route, to be honest.

* * *

 

_#q29: For the Birthright AU, how do Arisa and the Hoshidans deal with the Matt's faction of Scarlet's rebellion?_

_\- chii-ura_

They probably figure it out sooner so Scarlet gets her buddies in line. It’s harder to hide shady dealings and mass graves when you have the entire Hoshidan royal family breathing down your neck. Ryoma alone would have probably seen it coming.

In other words, Scarlet’s rebellion would succeed the way Scarlet would have wanted it, and Nohr would be in very deep trouble.

* * *

 

_#q30: From what I can tell in the new chapter Silas is having issues. Kaze hasn't done anything wrong to Silas and despite that Silas won't talk to him even though they are both Anri's retainers now. What is Silas' problem?_

_\- evonee_

Character development.

Actually, Silas’ arc is an expansion of his character, since he is the self-proclaimed best friend that Anri can’t remember well. He does a great many things that should not fly in this world on the basis of friendship and concern for his friend, even at the expense of others. It’s valid that he thinks Anri is in danger by surrounding himself with people who could do harm to him, but to think it is his place to decide what’s best and what’s not best for Anri is another thing.

* * *

 

_Does Silas have a crush on Anri? Or is he just an obsessive, dedicated friend? I just thought his little blush at the end of your most recent update was cute and was wondering if I was reading into it too much :)_

_\- Anonymous_

I’d say more on the latter than the former, although I did write Silas as potential S Support. Compared to a lot of other characters, Silas is one of those guys who thinks Anri is the best thing since sliced bread so of course he’d have more blatant strong feelings for him. Since Jakob isn’t really appearing as Anri’s servant this time, Silas is doing double duty for both Jakob and his own canonical characterization, which go hand in hand pretty well. While Niles is endgame, I might write alternative scenes in the case that Anri’s other S Supports is achieved. If I have time.

* * *

 

_#q31: What's the name of the Fates continent?_

_\- Anonymous_

Uh… Hm…

How about…. Quirinus, because it’s an epithet of Janus, the two-faced god who presides over beginning and end of conflict, war and peace? Someone from Quirinus is a Quirina… wow that sounded Kroraina for a moment there, which I was going to call the continent, but technically Valla is Kroraina/Loulan, so I gotta save the direct references to Loulan to exclusively Valla.

Quirinus also one of the words that Corrin’s name may be based off of. Now, if anyone asks where’s Corrin, I’ll just say they’re a huge landmass now… or a big blue star (Cor Corrina), take your pick.

* * *

 

_#q32: So, do dragon veins only come from the souls of Vallite priestesses, or from everyone with dragon's blood? If the latter, wouldn't there be one from where Sumeragi died? And all the dead royals? And maybe Garon, too, since we don't know if he's alive or dead or somewhere inbetween?_

_\- Anonymous_

Yeah, I gave this one some thought.

There are a few Dragon Veins in Cheve that call down lightning in Conquest 13… not sure how there’s so many, maybe he’s just one of the many that are scattered about (either that or many Hoshidan kings have bad luck in Cheve).

  * There’s a few rock slide Dragon Veins in Birthright 14, a Nohrian fort.A healing area can be uncovered in Chapter 2
  * Sumeragi’s father, the previous king, died in one of his chambers in Conquest 25
  * Where Diantha died exactly continues to be a mystery for now
  * Marius died near the Bottomless Canyon from Chapter 3
  * Jerry’s is left unaccounted for because we don’t have a Mages’ temple map, but we’ll look at it later
  * Rose died in a forest that I can’t pinpoint nicely on a map
  * Damian died on the Plains of Hoshido, so it was the one that dried up the river in the Prologue
  * Liselotte and Thomas died on the same spot in Fort Dragonfall while escaping from Damian and their other pursuers
  * Mila died inside the castle. That also isn’t somewhere I can pinpoint in the games.
  * On another note, Verena’s daughter Karolina didn’t leave anything when she fell out that window, further proving she wasn’t of dragon’s blood



* * *

_#q33: could we possibly hear more about how the retainer system works in this au? i gather that each prince/ss gets retainer marks from garon to give to people of their choosing, so could someone potentially choose only one retainer (ala diantha), or even three retainers? i wish the game had explored retainer selection more, and i love seeing more discussion of it in this au._

_\- Anonymous_

Technically, there is going to be an arc dedicated to explaining the policy for retainers, but I can make a nice explanation here.

**Retainer Limits and Responsibilities**

Each member of the royal family is only allowed two marks whom they can give to two individuals of their choice. Even the king is constrained by these limits, which are kept in balance by his council and the noble houses. King Garon may have had three official retainers, but he has only employed two at a time. Horatio of Buelen resigned before Gabrielle was made Garon’s retainer. Xander did not take Peri and Laslow as his retainers until after Faye and Lockie passed away.

The two retainer limit does raise the question of the king’s limit on the number of consorts he is allowed to have. There are no limits on how many spouses the ruler of Nohr is allowed to have. A consort can easily serve as a retainer of sorts for the king without being constrained by the two retainer limit, something that Nohrian Consorts Seraphina, Irma, and Theresa made heavy use of in their time. As the way things are now, there probably won’t be much done to resolve this, although in the future, we could expect Xander to deal with this once he ascends to the throne.

A retainer of a prince, princess, consort, or king, is more or less the representative of their lord or lady. They can potentially act in the absence of their lord or lady, but are required to carry their mark with them at all times. They hold almost as much power just below a general in the military (unless they already hold the title of general before) and often serve as right hands and advisers for their lords and ladies.

While the royal family member is free to choose whoever they want, there is the effect of opinion and image to uphold in front of nobility. Choosing a retainer hold as much importance as associations by marriage here in Nohr, so noble houses do take great lengths to promote their own people to extend some amount of influence on the crown. Most royal members are expected to hire military personnel and members of nobility, and choices out of those circles are often subject to more scrutiny.

**Formalities and Traditions**

The ceremony to officiate a retainer is much like the ones in the official supports (or whatever Siegbert says in his JP My Room lines). Retainers drink from a goblet with water and a drop of their lord or lady’s blood (it’s just pricking a finger, so no slitting any wrists or throats).

It’s meant to frame the old belief that the Dusk Dragon Kleo offered her followers their strength to fight in her name. Although there isn’t a clear account on how that was done, the common consensus on the story is that Kleo’s most trusted followers drank her blood. Retainers don’t become dragon vein users or anything special when drinking their lord or lady’s blood (in fact it’s been disproved for a good while now), but it’s just a nice touch and a nod to old tradition.

The second part is a vow spoken by the retainer. The standard oath of fealty goes as follows:

> _I shall drink this blessed blood as an eternal promise to faithfully serve as your sword and shield. Let your whims become my purpose, and your will, my law._

To give credit where it is due, half of the vow is paraphrased from Allora Gale’s Code Geass AU, Dauntless (which has been a big inspiration to this AU but unfortunately incomplete). To be honest, the expansion of the retainers is very much like the Knight of Honor title in the Code Geass universe, if anyone noticed.

It’s a fairly copy paste vow, but some retainers have made changes to it however they like. Back in early stages of writing, Silas would change his vows when he swears to Arisa in the Birthright route. The only difference is him acknowledging that he is ditching Nohr for Arisa in Hoshido:

> _I shall forsake my oath to my former lord and country to faithfully serve as your sword and shield. Let your whims become my purpose, and your will, my law._

Most times retainer ceremonies aren’t very big occasions and are mostly performed before a small audience including the king and select members of the court. Only recently have they become a more openly public affair, with Iago making a big deal about Anri’s retainers, and Anri deciding own up to his choices by going big.

After being honored for valor in battle, I was granted an audience with King Garon. He offered me dragon’s blood; accepting would require absolute loyalty to the king. It would have meant becoming his most trusted retainer, the highest of positions.

Gunter mentions the process of becoming a retainer in Chapter #7 “Unspeakable Words” in Revelations. While in this AU, the events of that chapter will not happen (Gunter’s backstory has been changed significantly and he’s dead for good), this information is rather interesting and also supports Siegbert’s line:

> _After being honored for valor in battle, I was granted an audience with King Garon. He offered me dragon’s blood; accepting would require absolute loyalty to the king. It would have meant becoming his most trusted retainer, the highest of positions._

So this does give another detail to how retainers are officiated in the canonical Fates universe, one that I do wish to incorporate into this AU. I guess the difference is that Gunter actually accepted Garon’s request, and he’s much well off than his canonical counterpart (Garon didn’t have to kill Gunter’s family). Or maybe not, since both Violeta and Lockie passed before he did. Poor man.

* * *

 

_So what happens when a prince or princess refuses to have any retainers at all? (I believe I recall a chapter mentioning that royals MUST have a retainer[s] chosen)_

_\- Anonymous_

While I don’t recall a line in the script where retainers are required, in Nohr’s side at least (if it were a thing, Iago would have definitely forced Corrin to choose someone), the royal children of this AU, as direct members of House Lorenzen, are mandated to hire at least one retainer when they reach a certain age (which is about 10, 12, or 13, I just throwing numbers here). In Xander’s case, he can have a retainer of his own as early as age 7.

Technically, the royal children are allowed to choose their retainers, but if they refuse to take any on, the king will have to choose for them for the sake of security, and the ruler’s choice may or may not be in line with their own tastes and interests.

* * *

 

_#q34: What languages are commonly spoken in Nohr?_

_\- Anonymous_

Good question. For ease of storytelling, all regions of Nohr speak a common tongue. Since Nohr was the union of two different kingdoms and cultures, the current primary language today is a convergence of the two. Of course, there are distinct regional dialects (hence the details like when Niles can tell Charlotte isn’t a native of Fallmount from her accent), with Westerstede dialect considered the standard. But various regions in Nohr have their own primary languages, since they weren’t all part of Nohr at some point of their history. And like English, the Nohrian language is prone to borrowing words from these languages.

Regions that have been a part of Nohr like Janholt (once called Fallmount before renaming and expansion), Esterlyn, and Morbank more or less exclusively speak Nohrian as a primary language. Esterlyn was annexed by Nohr so they did have their own language, but that was centuries ago, and that language is no longer in common use (most people these days speak Nohrian).

Janholt is a little fuzzy because it’s got a lot of port cities and has plenty of other languages spoken at large. The family in current control of Janholt, the Minetts, don’t consider Nohrian their primary language, either, and actually speak Nestrian in private, so a lot of their workers are fluent in Nestrian, something that can really affect their area. It’s not as big of an issue, since Nestra is a major trade ally of Nohr, so it’s expected most Nohrian merchants know Nestrian.

Nohrian rule over today’s Fallmount isn’t truly stable so the Nohrian language isn’t enforced. There are parts where Nohrian isn’t spoken primarily, like Cheve and the ice tribes to the south. An average resident of Fallmount probably grows up knowing about three languages because there isn’t an enforced standard.

Vandale, which is already more or less independent of Nohr except in name, have their own language and writing system that’s still widely used to this day. Those who come to this region are expected to know Vandali because the Vandali never really picked up Nohrian as a primary language. If you don’t know Vandali, you should know a few words to get by.

Even Hoshidan is studied here in Nohr, but only at the higher levels of education. There are Hoshidan speaking communities on the west side of the canyon back when Hoshido did open trade with the west, but the language has fallen out of favor ever since Hoshido has gone isolationist for centuries. There’s hardly anyone who speaks Hoshidan in Nohr, although you can guarantee people in official positions are required to know Hoshidan.

So to make a simple list of the top commonly spoken languages in Nohr:

  1. Nohrian
  2. Nestrian
  3. Vandali
  4. Chevois
  5. Other Languages



* * *

_#q35: Out of Xander's options for possible marriage, what do you think their main strengths and weaknesses (personal or political) would be as future consorts for the nation of Nohr?_

_\- Anonymous_

Hm…

**Claudia**

  * Strengths: They know each other fairly well, and Claudia is a pretty safe choice for public image. They are often free to talk about sensitive issues to each other, a kind of relationship they fostered to help each other cope with their many losses. Their closeness allows Claudia to be able to speak for Xander if the need ever arises.
  * Weaknesses: Xander has lingering doubts about whether or not Claudia likes him because he’s Diantha’s brother, and Claudia worries about the potential plans that she would have to resort to if she does become an official consort. She fears she may have to give her responsibilities as Marquess to Silas, which is questionable.



**Layla**

  * Strengths: Her eye for strategy and political intrigue is a key quality, and her eventual succession to the role of royal spymaster is also very valuable. Layla often looks out for opportunities to help Xander against threats or boost his approval ratings.
  * Weaknesses: Despite Layla’s playful and sometimes flirty nature, she also tends to have distance to Xander and usually doesn’t have as strong of a desire to do more than just intimate conversations, if that is ever an issue. Xander also can be unsettled by her more pragmatic choices and ballsy strategies, so he finds it hard to know exactly how she feels and what she’s thinking. He also gets worried when she does things for him at her own expense.



**Nyx**

  * Strengths: A powerful mage = powerful babies. That aside, Nyx and Xander are good coffee buddies. She’s most likely to be able to confront him with the big picture and talk to him not as a man of status, but as a person. Combined with marriage, her eventual return to the Buelen mage community will also help heal the wounds inflicted by the revived Cult of Kleo.
  * Weaknesses: Well, she is a nearly immortal mage, so questions of her ulterior motives to marrying Xander would be an issue. Also if she plans to continue finding a way to cure her inability to age, that would be a lot of investments, since Xander would certainly offer to pay for it, something she doesn’t like to take advantage of.



**Peri**

  * Strengths: Peri has been fairly close to Xander’s sister Diantha, so they know each other fairly well. As a retainer, Peri (and Laslow) accounts very well for his weak points in battle from having fought alongside him for so long. Xander is nothing but supportive of her efforts to recover from past trauma, and she is all the more grateful to him for giving her a chance to be normal rather than be shunned or pitied by the rest of her family.
  * Weaknesses: Her personal issues are a big problem, from nobles worrying about her potential instability, and Xander also having his hands full with all sorts of business, so he can’t always be around. Peri also has insecurities about being worthy of being by his side, so she’s prone to overcompensating, a habit that requires patience on both their parts.



**Charlotte**

  * Strengths: Like in canon, Xander appreciates her for being hardworking, and very admirable in combat in practice and in the field. She also has a chance to be a close friend to him and keeps him from isolating himself when his opponents realize what he’s up to (overthrowing Garon) and separating him from his key allies.
  * Weaknesses: Her commoner origins would come into question by the more snooty nobles (even more so from the Albrands if Xander chooses not to marry Peri). Some of the older nobles also fear she would be another Seraphina. Her renown as a good fighter and also endorsement from Lady Tatiana of Ragnar boosts her favorability, but Tatiana has always an outlier kind of noble.



**Hinoka**

  * Strengths: Would be a traditional gesture of peacekeeping between Hoshido and Nohr after a generation of strife. Hinoka gets the least amount of bonding time in the story, since their supports can only be developed in the final arc. Despite this, she and Xander share a lot of the same views on how to rebuild Nohr and reestablish relations with Hoshido, once they throw out prejudices and ill-formed assumptions. To be honest, had things not been so chaotic, they would have gotten along very well.
  * Weaknesses: Lots, and lots of baggage. Hinoka and her army have been responsible for the deaths of many of Xander’s close friends and even some of his siblings. Hinoka also can’t forgive Nohrians in general for stuff like her parents’ death and Anri’s kidnapping. This would be a contentious marriage in the public eye as well, since just because the two armies teamed up to stop Anankos, doesn’t mean things will be hunky dory in a fortnight.



* * *

 

_#q36: Would a queen of Nohr be able to have multiple male concubines, or is that just a king thing?_

_\- Anonymous_

A queen, like the king, can have multiple consorts, too. The Dusk Dragon Kleo had several husbands, and gave birth to four children, Nike, Bia, Zelos, and Kratos. Queen Nike had several consorts, too, not just exclusively men like her mother.

* * *

 

_#q37: Did Garon have any male consorts?_

_\- Anonymous_

No, despite his great closeness with Horatio and Gunter. But it’s not uncommon for kings and queens to have a mix of consorts, like Queen Nike.

The Elder Siegbert, an old Nohrian king, had one in addition to Brynhildr. I guess I’ll name him Lucanus. He wrote a great tragedy about how the tome of Brynhildr was forged. The play that is regarded as a literary classic, and is a popular production in Nestrian and Nohrian theater.


	21. Anri & Arisa (Corrin) Q&A

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An archive for answered questions regarding Anri, this AU's version of Corrin, and his Birthright counterpart Arisa.

  1. Did the dead siblings visit Anri when he stuck at home?
  2. Anri is a tiny man
  3. How angry was Xander when Anri got kidnapped by Hoshidans?
  4. How did the Nohrian family deal with Anri's dragon form?
  5. How do we justify Anri's pointy ears and red eyes?
  6. How did the Nohrian siblings deal with Anri's sudden addition to the family?
  7. I can't believe Anri would leave Hoshido!
  8. What is Anri and Azura's relationship is like?
  9. What were Ikona's thought on Anri?
  10. Did Anri know about his mom's origins?
  11. What are Anri and Arisa's personality like? How are they different from Corrin?
  12. What's Anri's personality?
  13. How is Anri's personality an improvement from Corrin's?
  14. What if Anri chose Hoshido instead?
  15. Could Anri have been playable as a female in this AU?
  16. Why did Arisa stay in Hoshido?
  17. If Anri lost all hope for humanity and became a villain, how would Silas and Kaze deal with this change?
  18. Did Seraphina see Anri as a threat?
  19. Did Garon plan to kidnap Anri?
  20. How does Anri's zombie/resurrected/not-really-dead status work?
  21. Why are Anri and Arisa barefoot?
  22. Do Anri and Arisa keep their healing/magic skills? Are these skills plot relevant?
  23. Are Silas and Kaze still retainers to Arisa in a Birthright path? How would it be different from with Anri?
  24. Why didn't Garon bother changing Anri's name after kidnapping him?
  25. Why is Anri's secondary class a Diviner if Mikoto's secondary class is Priestess?
  26. If Anri stayed in Hoshido and Azura stayed in Nohr, who would be their retainers?
  27. Is there a plot specific reason Anri is classed as a Nohrian Prince in this AU?
  28. Does everyone from Valla have pointed ears and can become dragons?
  29. How would you make Anri and Arisa exist at the same time in this AU?



* * *

 

_#q1:Your new comic looks great! Fantastic art! But it got me thinking, did any of the dead siblings ever visit Anri while he was stuck in the citadel while they were alive?_

_\- Anonymous_

Of course they did! Though by the time Anri was found by Gunter and included into the family, only Damian, Jeremiah, and Roswitha were alive, but they still left quite an impact on Anri.

Damian was the fun big brother that Xander couldn’t be, considering that Damian and Camilla filled in the hole that Diantha and Marius left for Xander. Because the circumstances in which Anri was found in, the older prince was extremely protective of the kid, just as much as Camilla. Damian was really wanted Anri to move in with everyone at Castle Krakenburg, and King Garon was really close to approving his request before he went for his last battle. Anri vaguely knew that Damian was killed by Hoshidans, but didn’t know what exactly happened until Hinoka tells him.

Roswitha was in a really bad place when Anri turned up, and his presence as a little brother was important in her attempt to recover. She was most eager to teach him to use the sword, and was fond of storytime with him, Leo, and Elise. Anri is still convinced that she died in a hunting accident (and oh boy he’s going to have so much fun learning the truth).

Jeremiah has visited Anri a few times whenever Camilla and Damian managed to drag him out to see the kid. Jerry’s not fond of children, however, but Anri turned out to be pretty polite. During the times they interacted at all, Jerry usually had a book to hand over and keep the kid busy, but was patient enough to sit down and explain things if Anri couldn’t understand something in the book he read. For someone who was a real jackass, he didn’t mind Anri all that much. Anri’s more pleasant interactions with Jerry has been a point of contention between him and Leo.

When these three died, Anri was unable to attend the main funeral processions, so the living siblings at the time hosted small memorial services at the fortress with him.  
Anri knows the other dead siblings only in passing from the stories his surviving siblings. He eventually does get moved to Windmire slightly earlier than in canon (so he gets to stay in Castle Krakenburg for a year before the game starts), so he’s come across the portraits of his deceased siblings, many of which have been removed from public (he and Elise do explore the castle and find the hidden portraits later). So when Anri makes that big decision in Chapter 6, he thinks about how his Nohrian siblings can’t afford to lose another one of their own because he’s experienced and understood their loss. This isn’t the only reason Anri chooses to side with Nohr, however.

_#q2: Anri is a tiny man_

_\- Anonymous_

I wonder how many people have NOT wanted to sling this tiny dragon child over their shoulder bc he’s so light, doesn’t own a mount, and is really slow bc his bane is speed.

_'who is this short little vampire's pfffft_

_\- Anonymous_

He’s not even much of a biter, ironically.

_Oh. Funny mental image of Niles just picking up Anri like lifts him off the ground. And like, idk, it cute._

_Anonymous_

You need not dream any further.

_tiny anri distressed with family drama: the series_

_\- Anonymous_

#q3: _Based on his reactions to Anri and Hans, I am going to guess that Xander was the definition of anger when the party returned without Anri._

_Anonymous_

Oh, definitely.

Honestly, he probably tried to strangle Hans until he learned that Anri wasn’t dead, but captured by Hoshidans. Then he and Camilla were freaking about the possibility that the Hoshidans would send back Anri’s decapitated head.

_#q4: How did the Nohrian family react to Anri's dragon transformation and in your AU, why did Anri first transform into a dragon in the first place?_

_\- Anonymous_

Anri makes no attempt to hide what happened in Hoshido from his Nohrian family and closest servants, but keeps it a lesser known fact in the army. However, many people are aware that he must have done something amazing to sneak into Hoshido, slay the queen, and come back mostly unscathed. On top of that, King Garon (who is more subtle about his evil nature and acts more of a stern proud dad) publicly praised him for killing the Hoshidan queen, which confuses Anri because why would his father, who was saying this war against the Hoshidans was necessary, was unfazed at the fact that he passed up an opportunity for avoiding more wars.

Since the reveal isn’t as… traumatic for the Nohrian family, Anri is met with more confusion and fascination than fear. Elise is excited by the idea of her brother becoming a dragon just like the Dusk Dragon Kleo, who is displayed on the sigil of the royal house banner, while the older siblings are worried and curious about the circumstances. Leo and Xander conclude that Anri was the luckiest out of all of them to possess a high concentration of the Dragon’s blood to transform into a dragon. The possibility of sending a dragon out into the battlefield isn’t such a bad idea, as long as Anri is okay with it. But then Camilla brings up the unfortunate implications of how Gunter found Anri and Anri’s own account of what happened. None of them are sure what is the meaning of a child of dragon’s blood suddenly having an ability that has been lost for centuries. However, Xander brings up that they need to be more concerned about the war, and if their father doesn’t seem to be so worried about Anri’s condition, they should look into the case later.

The plot point comes back again when Kilma recognizes Anri by his red eyes and Vallite physique and shares what he knows about the old legends, since the Ice Tribe descended from the few survivors of the great plague that took out the Vallite priestesses who refused to return to their father dragon. While a lot of poeple have believed Valla to be a mere myth, Anri’s transformation and presence is living proof that the Vallite people existed, but no one at this point is really sure why the gates to Valla have been reopened, and how that leads to Anri’s birth.

Since it’s no secret who’s responsible, I can freely say that Anri’s absence in the 1-2 year gap before his discovery was put to good use by the antagonist, who intended to use Anri as a sort of Manchurian agent to send into Hoshido and kill Mikoto, who is a threat to their plans. As his siblings feared, Anri was conditioned to fear certain situations and was given a “would you kindly” sort of phrase which would induce him to turn into a dragon in times of stress.

He was meant to kill the nearest person when he hears a certain phrase, which is in the ancient language from the culture the antagonist and Mikoto come from. The lyrics used in the ritual meant to calm Anri down and revert to dragon form requires such language and phrasing to ensure that he’d kill Mikoto and not just anybody. Of course, combining the issue of madness as a dragon and onset panic, and you’ve got yourself a walking disaster that can tear apart the entire Hoshidan square.

Anri was also intended to die on the spot at the hands of the angry Hoshidans, but no one counted in the possibility that Azura would successfully find a loophole by singing the song in a different language and using the Fire Emblem to amplify the strength of her song. It might be a silly loophole, but the antagonist didn’t know how the song would be transcribed into a different language (Hoshidan/Nohrian/whatever everyone on that continent speaks is a second language for Mikoto, after all).

_#q5: SO since you're tidying up a lot of plot holes (kudos by the way) how do you explain at least the norhian royals not knowing anri was a dragon or at least,,, /off/ in a way? I mean the pointy ears and slit red eyes are kinda hard to miss. Even if they don't know manakete characteristics they'd at least acknowledge their brother sure does look a bit odd_

_\- Anonymous_

I’m pretty sure everyone had an inkling that Anri was odd, from the way he entered the family to all his mannerisms. I mean, when your uncle finds a starving seven-year-old in a dungeon possibly whipped so badly he has no memory of his past, I think you’d start questioning a couple things, especially when this kid can sense Dragon Veins like everyone else in the family.

At this time, the mages of Buelen were busy conducting all sorts of experiments, most notably the Faceless. Was Anri just another one of these experiments? Did his mother love Garon so much she was willing to give up her child for whatever these mages wanted to test on him? Where was this kid’s mother? Who in the world would have enough power to let this happen and keep it covered up? Was it a good thing they “saved” this kid because what else could the mages have done to him if Gunter didn’t find him so soon?  
For the longest time, the elder siblings constantly wonder if he’s a ticking time bomb ready to explode. The younger ones are more open minded. “He’s just born this way, he can’t help it.” But the very fact that this kid, their brother, does not appear human would continue to dwell in their minds for years to come, even if some of them smother him in so much love as if to prevent him from going down a dark path and becoming a villain like they feared.

When Anri moves to Windmire, everyone else thinks he’s strange, too. Sorta like that one woman that the king was so entranced with a few years back. She was rather strange herself, wasn’t she? She even had a child with red eyes just like this one. Perhaps they shouldn’t speak to this child who carries himself like a savage, walking barefoot in the halls as if he’s a wild animal. At least he fights well and can speak like a normal person, but it’s hard to avoid his gaze when his eyes are nothing close to a human. He must be some sort of demon child, and the king must have strange tastes in women to have a child like that.

Then this brother goes missing for a full month before reappearing in the Hoshidan capital, where he slays the friggin’ Queen of Hoshido with his bare hands. Although by sheer luck, he’s come back, but nothing is exactly the same when he tells the family he’s been doing weird things like turning into a dragon and remembering his past. Someone was definitely doing something to this kid, and everyone wants to find out what.

_q6: So what were all the sibling's reactions when Anri was brought into the Nohrian royal family? Where they told where he came from, or were they fed a lie?_

_\- Anonymous_

Most of the older ones were surprised by Gunter’s description of the child’s health, or in Damian’s case, outraged that a child would be treated this way. When confronted, the children were told a half lie: that Anri was born from a woman named Eirene, who was victim of one of Theresa’s hunts for bastard children, while her child was kept for some purpose of experimentation (he did look pretty odd). The current keeper Arlcliff was consequently executed for suppose association with the Durands. It may have been a flimsy explanation, but it was acceptable enough at the time. None of them thought much about it until Anri went and murdered Mikoto.

The younger siblings didn’t know where Anri came from, at least until they got older. In Leo’s case, he and Anri were very close ever since childhood, so he put the clues together after seeing the marks left of those two years Anri was captive in Arlcliff. Elise isn’t exactly aware of all the details, but she knows how Anri has a hard time remembering any details from his early years.

_#q7: I can't believe Anri betrayed his half siblings._

_\- Anonymous_

I actually wonder about that, since Anri hardly has any memory of his Hoshidan siblings and is just so tightly knit with his Nohrian siblings who have been nothing but kind to him. Garon hasn’t made any explicit attempts to kill Anri yet, so he’s less inclined to stay to spite his father. Also, not sure if he would be up for possible execution in Hoshido for his deadly stunt in Shirasagi. Either way, what he did has ruined relations between the two countries. Anri thought that he had no chance of fixing anything as a prisoner and criminal in Hoshido, so he went back.

I do have a bit of Nohr bias (evident from the fact that this is a Conquest AU) so I was a proponent for siding with the family I knew the best, although it’s interesting thinking about what other people felt about their preferences (this is a game of choice after all). Discussion is greatly encouraged.

_#q8: What is Azura and Anri's relationship like?_

_\- Anonymous_

Anri only knew Azura by name from his older siblings, so he is quick to trust her in that regard. He also is grateful to Azura’s kindness when he was held in Shirasagi and repays with equal treatment when she is captured by Haitaka and taken to Fort Dragonfall. Since Damian had always wanted Azura to come back and be with the family, Anri is set on making Azura feel more comfortable around their Nohrian siblings. He doesn’t know much about her, but he’s very willing to give her a shot.

Azura is happy that Anri is this kind to her, but she’s not as forthcoming about her own secrets aside from the fact that she is a Vallite priestess. She carries an agenda of her own, and that might involve a lot of lying and misdirection. Since Anri is already busy helping Leo and dealing with rebellion in Fallmount, she has a much easier time not getting questions from him, although how far she can push his tolerance is yet to be seen. Azura is more willing to let the ends justify the means, which won’t sit well for Anri.

_#q9: What were Ikona's thoughts on Anri_

_\- Anonymous_

Ikona thought of Anri as her own son, since she liked Mikoto a lot, so much that they consider him “their” son (and Sumeragi’s, too). The reason why Ryoma and Hinoka are most definitely close to Anri is because their mothers and father were encouraging about having them interact and cultivate that family bond that would otherwise be difficult to attain.

Ikona and Sumeragi freaked out when they thought Anri had been replaced by a tiny dragon, and Mikoto was like “oh no it’s okay he does that sometimes in his sleep”. Then Sumeragi was like “Our son is this dragon like in those legends?? That’s awesome!” while Ikona is just half amazed that the legends are true and half afraid of what people would think of Anri when he gets older after all the excitement subsided. Whatever plans they had to introduce Anri properly was botched after her death, Sumeragi’s death, and Mikoto’s.

But just because Ikona liked Anri doesn’t mean everyone else did. Because Mikoto got scrutinized for her foreign origins, Anri gets a lot of flak about his status as a Hoshidan prince in any capacity among the general populace. It’s a weird experience for the Hoshidan family because they personally knew Anri and love him a lot, but they always get told that Anri was some sort of mistake by a lot of other Hoshidans. Ryoma and Hinoka tend to get defensive about Anri because they knew him the best and know he could never do something bad. Takumi and Sakura are confused about how to feel since they don’t remember Anri well.

_#q10: Does Anri know about his mother's origins_

_\- Anonymous_

As in Hoshido or Valla? He wasn’t aware of either origin, although from Azura’s account he’ll eventually learn. During his captivity in Nohr, he at best knows what she looks like and small trivial details. Garon tries to keep it vague so Anri won’t doubt him, although it’s like not he knows much about Mikoto aside from what he knows from Arete and the peace summit in Cheve.

_#q11: What are Arisa and Anri's personalities like in a nutshell? Do they differ from the main Avatar Corrin in any ways?_

_\- Anonymous_

I really want to do a big “Questionable Decision” post on these two in the future, but if you want a few broad strokes about them (in terms of role in plot and personality)…  
Anri and Arisa both strongly believe in understanding other people to establish trust and resolving conflicts. They’re still idealistic, to a fault.

  * Anri is a more outward type of person and would try to reach to as many people for help, while Arisa is an inward kind of person and tends to keep things to herself if possible.
  * Anri is more certain of his choices, while Arisa is more doubtful.
  * Their initial successes are gradually dampened by personal failures, but these failures are the building blocks to their improvement.
  * Neither of them like to accept things the way they are, and always want to know why.
  * When confronted with the need to change, they will change, whether that means adjusting their perspective or attitude



I honestly can’t say that they are vastly different from Corrin, since some parts of the game’s plot tends to really drive Corrin into contrived corners where they get stuck between a rock and a hard place. Also, the plot really goes out of its way not to allow Corrin to own up to certain flaws, which I feel really hurt their character. By changing the course of the plot, Anri and Arisa have the breathing room to make their decisions and possess flaws that can be overcome.

Another difference that could potentially change character is the position of power Anri and Arisa acquire at the start of their stories. While Corrin is an equivalent of a general (I see that as Iago and Garon’s mean-spirited gesture to make Corrin fail), Anri and Arisa start out somewhere in the middle and are subordinate to their other siblings and other individuals in the chain of command. It’s painfully obvious that they cannot accomplish their goals where they are, so they have to climb that ladder, through whichever means they see fit.

_#q12: I was wonder could you tell us a little bit more about Anri's personality because the Corrin personality is just plain out bland._

_\- Anonymous_

I won’t go into full discussion on Birthright or Revelations, since those are two different cans of worms, although I’d love to discuss that stuff, too, if I have the time or by request. I also don’t want to make this an obnoxious “My version of Corrin is better than canon Corrin!” post because that would be rather rude. It would be better to focus on making Anri a character of his own rather than making him an antithesis to Corrin, but it’s good to focus on what doesn’t make Corrin as appealing, and what I feel can be improved.

Personally, I don’t agree that Corrin is a complete failure of a character, but rather a lot of the problems lie within the elements surrounding them. The concept of Corrin as a naive royal who wants peace but doesn’t know how isn’t a bad idea on paper (the fact that it’s used all the time means it does kinda work), but coupled with various plot elements and not so choice writing moments, they get the short end of the stick in the vast array of protagonists who share similar aspirations. This will be a long partial rant, so strap yourselves in, kiddies.

**You’re the Chosen One, Corrin!**

A lot of Corrin’s actions get excused because of his “chosen one” status that the plot likes to wave around proudly. We’ve already heard enough talk about how it doesn’t work for stories like these, so I’m going to skip that part. By taking out all the “chosen one” benefits for Anri, there’s no prophecy to spells his name in blazing letters, no license to say “I’M THE CHOSEN ONE PLEASE FOLLOW ME”. There are still elements to people thinking of him that way (i.e. the whole dragon phenomenon), but his own presence is often called into question. To some he’s a savior and a sign of a great positive change while others think he is some harbinger of death and destruction. Allowing other characters to have differing views of him would be an improvement to not just his character, but also the other characters themselves. A win-win situation.

**Somebody to Lean On**

Corrin doesn’t get to ask for help from many people most notably in plot aside from Azura and doesn’t really confide in anyone but Azura. Or rather, he’s not really allowed to. (at least in plot relevant conversations). In fact, their entire Conquest support conversations revolve around Corrin doubting himself all the time and Azura giving some good or not so good advice. Perhaps since only Azura and Corrin are in on the plan to put Garon on the Hoshidan throne, they have no one to confide in but each other by plot restriction. There are moments where Corrin does get a chance to talk with his siblings, but they’re so few and far in between. Perhaps this is probably the way to keep any focus on Azura, who often gets shafted by the spotlight in favor for Corrin.

So perhaps giving Anri the opportunity to visibly consult other people like his siblings and friends would be a great idea, as well as demoting his position a little. Maybe make him more self-aware of his own naivety so he will not be so afraid of asking for help. Let him defer to some figures in the story like a higher ranking general or a seasoned lord rather than have people defer to him all the time. Perhaps Corrin, if given the chance, would behave similarly, but the game didn’t ever give them that chance.

**Polly… Ticks…? What’s that?**

Another aspect I think many people dislike is how painfully ignorant Corrin is despite how many obvious problems Nohr has. This isn’t exactly new to me, since personally a lot of time people like to rail on the naive characters sometimes. And it’s incredible how Garon allows this to happen, since it’s not a quality he likes to encourage in his children. How Elise gets a pass is likely because she’s young, but Corrin looks like they’re old enough to understand their situation. Even Leo, who’s younger than Corrin, knows Nohr is in dire straits, so why doesn’t Corrin appear to know any of this and make any mention of this?  
In fact, why is it that in Hidden Capital (Birthright 22) Silas gets to explain the situation in Nohr, and not Corrin? Unless you compelted Ryoma and Silas’ supports, you wouldn’t have believed that Silas and Ryoma would be so civil with each other given their countries’ situation. Not saying Corrin is a better guide than Silas to Windmire, it would at least show some insight on Corrin acknowledging Nohr’s situation and urging Ryoma to think of Nohr not just on the basis that their adopted family live there, but also the people require aid.

If Corrin is to be a royal child in any capacity, they would at least be tutored on their kingdom so when they do get brought out to the public, they can seamlessly integrate themselves into Nohrian society, much less trouble for Garon. If anything, Corrin seems to be treated more like a pet by their siblings (explains all the “you did nothing wrong, Corrin” mentality that occurs for all their siblings). Pets don’t need to think about stuff like politics and international relations. They just need to be around to make their owners happy, and that’s rather… sad to think about. Either that, or Garon never intended for Corrin to live, and expected them to die in Shirasagi if not for Mikoto dying for them.  
Anri’s character seeks to address these shortcomings Corrin has, in which he does receive the equivalent education as his siblings, and he’s allowed to show his knowledge of what he’s learned.

**Silly Corrin, Idealism is for Kids!**

Corrin has been regularly pointed out to be an idiot, from not recognizing Azura at the opera house to trusting a complete stranger to go explore in an unknown land (Antony isn’t even all that adorable tbh esp when he makes that face). Most of the time, it’s fine for me, since I don’t really expect all protagonists to be complete saints or to be the oh-so brilliant chessmasters, but the extent to which the plot conflates Corrin’s naivete can understandably irk others. Combined with the fact that Corrin doesn’t visibly understand very much about their country makes for a character that is far from relatable (so much for being a self insert haha). It’s an interesting flaw, but maybe to avoid alienating the audience so much, some changes could be made.

The naivete can be kept, but a different layer can be added to it. Allowing Anri to have a more complete understanding of the state of affairs could make him more of guy who thinks “Yeah being nice can suck, but at least I’ll try to be a decent person for the betterment of everyone”. He knows it’s possible for people to stab him in the back (his siblings explicitly share those kinds of stories regularly with him), but that doesn’t stop him from wanting to believe in the better side of people. He can learn a lot of things and know how to handle things on paper, but when it comes to applying his knowledge, he has trouble doing so.

As for all the idiot balls Corrin drops, Anri won’t be treated as nicely by the plot, so if he makes a mistake, he’ll face the consequences. But he’s not the only one who needs to get smarter. Azura herself will have to step up her skill at deception by taking advantage of Anri’s trust and desire to be nice and reunite the Nohrian family for her own purposes. Garon and Iago need to get better at learning the art of subtlety. Scarlet needs to do more than stage one measly battle in her hometown if she wants to give Corrin a challenge at all. Ryoma needs to do something else than chase Anri all the way to Nohr, like maybe defend the capital while Xander plans to lay siege to it. Camilla needs other plans than to obsess over her dear little brother.

**Quick Closing Thoughts**

All in all, I never thought Corrin is as atrocious as he seems to be according to some, so Anri isn’t exactly five times better than Corrin, but making the plot itself less favorable towards Anri and letting him learn from his mistakes, I’d think a character like Corrin would be slightly better received.

_#q13: The way you put it, it sounds like Anri is basically Corrin with a new coat of paint, but it's mostly the story that changes to accommodate the problems with Corrin's character. Was that your intention, or was there anything unique about Anri that separates him from Corrin?_

_\- Anonymous_

Essentially, yes.

Although if we do have to make a strong distinction between Anri and Corrin, Corrin is an absolute pacifist who refuses to fight on many circumstances, while Anri is aware that fighting is a necessity in some cases and has a better grasp of his limitations early on. He doesn’t ask people to completely spare their enemies because he knows he doesn’t have that kind of power over them. Might cannot make right in Anri’s case, because he has no “ultimate super weapon” to intimidate anyone into submission (I’m suddenly reminded of Kira Yamato from Gundam SEED).

Also, there were early drafts for Anri was about him gradually becoming a more extreme or questionable individual (eventually earning a good stab from Shiro), or revealed to be a necromancer’s puppet because somehow he was already dead since the beginning (oh boy wait till i tell you that draft I threw out). Anri has been much mellowed out than previous drafts so he’s much more in line with Corrin than before. Honestly, I could have changed Anri back to Corrin if I wanted to, but yeah, kinda don’t want to go through all the posts to edit that and confuse more people.

_#q14: What would happen to the Nohr family in this AU if Anri chose Hoshido?_

_\- Anonymous_

I guess things just wouldn’t be the same. Leo would be stewing over the fact Xander lied to him and Diantha’s murder wouldn’t be solved as quickly because he wouldn’t have the time or assistance. Plus, he’d be down at Fallmount in Anri’s shoes, and he would come to a horrible conclusion that would make things worse between him and Xander.

Camilla wouldn’t be much different than in canon but she honestly has good reason to be worried for Anri, considering what could have happened in a Birthright path (ie How Anri/Arisa plot-reclasses to a Nohrian/Hoshidan Noble will always end up being… very painful).

Elise would be really gutsy and try something extreme to get the family back together… may or may not have died somehow, but it happens earlier in plot so you get a good long arc or two involving the Nohr siblings accepting Anri isn’t family anymore. Xander would be really lonely since Leo is no longer taking his side, and Camilla is starting to have doubts because of the whole family coverup. He’d be in a darker place than ever.

_#q15: In theory. could Anri in an alternate timeline be a female?_

_\- Anonymous_

Why, yes, it would have been possible to play Anri as a woman if this had been a full blown game. I’m just sticking to Anri for sake of consistency, and the dialogue wouldn’t change all that much (Arisa would have clocked Niles, too, to be honest, no matter how kind hearted she is compared to Anri). Any possible love interests would be the same, too.

_#q16: What made Arisa choose to stay in Hoshido?_

_\- Anonymous_

This would have been something that would have been discussed in Anri’s dialogue with Takumi in their second showdown in Cheve. Arisa and Anri are both aware that they have a lot to answer for the great big mess that culminated in Mikoto’s murder. The big difference is that Anri believed nothing could be fixed if he stayed in Hoshido and made less trouble for his Hoshidan family, that there was no way of proving his innocence if he stayed. He doesn’t feel that Ryoma and Hinoka’s trust in him will last very long because the facts are clear and out in the open. He was very much afraid of what will happen to him in Hoshido, and that’s a human thing.

Arisa thinks the opposite of Anri. She also has some naive ideas about mitigating the aggression by staying with the Hoshidans, maybe change the Hoshidan’s perception of Nohr and herself, which is something she feels only she can do. She has a lot more confidence about her abilities than Anri does at first and doesn’t exercise as much caution as Anri does, although her resolve would get tested multiple times in a Birthright-oriented route. People like Takumi and the Hoshidan generals are not going to give Arisa an easy time to prove her loyalty, and she doesn’t start out knowing how far they’ll go, but she’s prepared for it.

At some point, I wrote a scenario where she agrees to be the bait to trap Nohrian soldiers, and that involved getting trapped in a burning fortress (not Takumi’s fault thankfully). She gets out of it fine, but just doing that earned her a whole new level of respect, and a slap and hug from Hinoka bc “omg why would u try to do that u don’t have to answer to these people damnit”. Also her armor gets ruined from the ordeal so Ryoma decides it’s high time she gets some bona fide Hoshidan armor, hence the Hoshidan Noble upgrade.

_#q17: I hope it's not too strange a question, but how do you think Silas and Kaze would react to Anri losing all hope for humanity and just straight up turns villainy for a lack of better words. They're both pretty loyal, so I was curious if you believe if they'll stick with him and try and change him back or turn on him to do what's right._

_\- Anonymous_

Ooh, I like this question! This is a long one because I’m going to start addressing the pros and cons of these boys’ relationships.

I think their separate reactions define a clear testament to their relationships with their lord. Whether they remain friends or become even more intimate partners with Anri, their interactions and supports would really have to focus on what’s lacking in their relationships with Anri and perhaps each other, and that is proper communication and a lack of common ground that neither party is aware of.

I’d be hard pressed to say that Anri could ever turn to villainy, given that he has so many people who could keep him away from taking such action, but if that were to ever happen, it would be a painfully slow realization, because the kind of villain Anri would most likely turn out to be is a well intentioned extremist, possible bouts of madness aside. But yeah, let’s just say it did happen. Now what?

**Silas & Anri**

There was never any assumption between Anri and Silas in that they were going to be together forever. Silas met Anri by a stroke of luck while serving as squire in Arlcliff. Their time together was cut short after Silas’ stunt to help get Anri out the castle, but all in all, there was no pre-existing condition between them, no mutual vow that they must be bound together. Silas was never expected to serve Anri so closely as his retainer, and no one said he had to be one. He became Anri’s retainer because they spent some time to work together as partners and equals. This provided natural grounds for them to build a more close and genuine relationship, perhaps more so than between Anri and Kaze, whose relationship had begun under obligation and often struggles to move beyond that.

But with this genuine bond is another problem. Silas takes for granted that he was Anri’s childhood friend and therefore feels he bears responsibility to protect Anri because he has earned such a privilege that’s exclusive only to him, sort of like entitlement. It’s not that he can’t share, but he generally thinks he knows Anri better than anyone. As someone who knows Anri personally, he would be in better tune with what Anri likes and dislikes, but then in doing so, he can mistakenly believe that the Anri he is dealing with is the same as the one he’s made up in his head. Silas hates to see anything make Anri feel bad, and he wants to immediately fix it before Anri has any chance to react to it. He likes to believe that he understands Anri’s feelings the most, and he likes to disregard the fact that he and Anri haven’t met until a good ten years later.

So, Silas often likes to do things ahead of time under the assumption that Anri would ask him to do the same thing if they had talked about it. He’ll also like to pry into anything Anri does in private and public, because he needs to know everything about Anri to make sure his lord is happy. If he doesn’t know what’s bothering Anri beforehand, what kind of friend is he? Of course, Anri is quick to curb this kind of behavior by being more open with him, but Silas still likes to act out first before really considering the long term consequences, potentially smothering Anri in the process.

While Silas does adore Anri beyond all reason, he does understand some level of common sense, so if Anri does suggest anything too wild, he’ll try to reason with his friend if possible. That isn’t to say he’ll reject Anri’s ideas outright, but he will talk it out and try to understand Anri’s views. But he isn’t afraid to argue with Anri on certain subjects, so long as they all come to some sort of agreement in the end. He’s like that with almost everyone, but he’s a bit more lenient with Anri and could compromise more of his own interests for Anri’s sake.

**Kaze & Anri**

One can argue that Kaze knows Anri a little better, since he did travel with Anri to Hoshido and watched everything unfold, and he was meant to serve Anri since they were children. It’s not that Silas doesn’t know about what happened between this pair (Anri and Kaze tell him at some point). But what Kaze has that Silas doesn’t have is that sort of distant empathy, where two people often don’t really need to speak much to understand each others’ feelings because they’ve gone through a lot of things together. Kaze had been with Anri at most of the big turning points in his life (his kidnapping, traveling to Shirasagi as a hostage, Mikoto’s death, etc), and he has seen how these many things have devastated Anri personally, and he understands, because a lot of those moments had affected him, too.

But what Kaze lacks is that personal connection, because as children they were strictly servant and master, and Kaze never stepped across that boundary to know Anri like Silas has. For the longest time, Kaze has been Anri’s servant first, friend and companion second. Even now, he still tries to maintain this boundary as much as possible because he still believes himself to be inferior in rank, that he isn’t truly worth Anri’s time and that he has to give everything to Anri because that’s the only way to repay him. Any feelings he truly has about what’s happening is not necessary and must be kept out of their relationship.

So, he tends not to question Anri very much and has a tendency to go with whatever Anri decides in the end. Sure, they’ll discuss their disagreements in private, but only if Anri initiates such conversations. Even though both of them had promised each other peace and happiness for everyone, what matters most to Kaze above that promise, in the deeper recesses of his mind, is that Anri finds peace and happiness for himself, no matter the cost.

But wait, you say, didn’t Kaze ditch the Hoshidan royal family because they weren’t fighting for good ideals? Well, remember, in Kaze’s mind, Anri comes first, the world second. For Kaze, all common sense kinda goes out the window when it comes to Anri. Because for Kaze, Anri’s feelings matter the most, and it’s part of his job to do what Anri asks for him. It’s most convenient that Anri happens to want good things for the rest of the world, so he’ll do that, too, because he also believes it in it, even if he’s in no position to carry such things out.

**Silas & Kaze**

I’ve already written out a few scenes on how they have been working together, and obviously, no one deals with it nicely at first. Silas is fiercely protective of Anri and only sees a blaring caution sign over Kaze’s head because he’s from the enemy, and Kaze doesn’t do anything about their sour first impression because he’s too accepting of his situation to fight back, although he dislikes how Silas is making too many assumptions about him. Anri at first hopes too much for the best outcome and lets them work it out on their own until shit hits the fan, and he realizes his own part to play in their so called friendship triangle.

Of course, they become better friends when they start understanding each others’ situations, and that can easily be conveyed through who they interact with in the plot. They’re already watching each other struggle in real time while Anri can’t always be there to solve their problems because he has problems of his own, so they have to both find help for themselves and in each other. Considering the kinds of allies they have, they won’t have too hard of a challenge to get along.

**What if Anri went evil?**

In conclusion, if Anri did take a dark path, Silas would be accepting at first because hey, Anri has been doing good, maybe slipped up a little, nothing wrong, but he would later realize how their values have diverged so badly and would do anything to bring Anri “back to his senses”, whether or not that means staying with him or not. Meanwhile, Kaze would just quietly accept it and follow the man to the ends of the earth, for better or for worse, and if Anri falls, he’ll die trying to keep whatever he has left of Anri alive.

If Kaze and Silas don’t have a better level of understanding each other, this would happen, probably. Or maybe they do, and they decide they have do something about it. But if stopping Anri means killing him, neither of them would want to do it and would rather someone else do it instead. Kaze could probably distance himself from his feelings for Anri, but Silas would absolutely refuse to do his friend in.

_#q18: When you say camilla had to choose between rose or her younger siblings, did Seraphina have her eyes on Anri? Because she had an alliance with Marianne so she wouldn't kill Leo I hope and Yvonne was also on good terms with Seraphina so she wouldn't kill Elise. Was Anri that much of a threat?_

_\- Anonymous_

At that point in time, Seraphina was the most powerful consort living at the time. Anri didn’t have any outside ties to anyone in the family aside from his siblings and the king, so he was very susceptible to harm. Given his nebulous origins (Gunter discovered him in a dungeon in a horrible state and then the king immediately declared him his son), Seraphina has much reason to be wary of him.

Yvonne’s alliance with Seraphina is very one sided (especially now that she cannot keep Irma at bay after Annaliese’s death), so Elise was also considered a target.  
Seraphina did also put Camilla in a hard spot, since if Anri and Elise taking the fall for Roswitha would spell harsh reactions from Xander and Damian, who held closer ties to the younger siblings in the family than Rose. It seemed an easy choice for Seraphina, but not so much for Camilla.

_#q19: I think I remember reading about how Mikoto was there in Cheve when Anri got abducted, was it planned to abduct him, or was it on the fly? Did Garon see any benefit to kidnapping him despite Mikoto being there?_

_\- Anonymous_

Garon most certainly did not expect Anri to be there, and he was happy to see the kid, since this was Arete’s nephew. He had no intention of abducting Anri, since he and Mikoto agreed that Nohr is not a good environment for him and Azura.

Now, the perpetrator didn’t expect Anri to be there, either, but they saw a chance to secure two Vallite children for their nefarious purposes. It was a perfect time to start pulling the king’s strings. Mikoto’s ability as a water priestess is nothing to the real thing, so they didn’t fear Mikoto could retaliate successfully. Azura’s subsequent abduction from Nohrian lands didn’t really bother them, because by then, they had succeeded in what they wanted to do with Anri.

_#q20: Wait, I'm confused. Is Anri technically a possessed corpse or something? "Anri is still fairly human as long as Azura continues to have a good conscience", like what does that mean? What's Azura doing to him?_

_\- Anonymous_

Azura’s powers granted by the Fire Emblem, a fraction of Anankos’ power (it was made from his tears), justifies the Phoenix Mode/Casual Mode, at the expense of her life. She is, in less savory terms, a lich, like her predecessors before her. Compared to Anankos himself, who is engaging in shady necromancy as well, is Azura abusing her power to keep Anri and the alive and potentially take away his will to control his body, or is she kind to let him walk on his own even with the leverage she isn’t afraid to use over him, and potentially everyone else?

Her mission to stop Anankos is a perilous one that she inherited from her mother and aunt. Would she be wise to create contingency plans through the likes of Sakura and Anri? Or is she cruel in placing her family in further danger and not seeking a more conciliatory solution?

_#q21: Are Anri and Azura bare-foot in this AU? I know it's a weird and random question, but I don't see why they would be bare-foot, but I also don't see why they wouldn't...if that makes any sense._

_\- Anonymous_

They are bare-footed, because of course I have to keep up the Fates tradition.  
I assume Azura does the barefooted thing because she’s a priestess, so going barefoot makes it easier to sense Dragon Veins (and the scattered souls of dead people).

Anri just does it… because he does it. Maybe he’s so used to going barefoot, it’s just something that hasn’t gone away. He says he hates the enclosed feeling of shoes, but like, dude, why can’t you just wear sandals or something? Or he likes stepping in more bramble patches he can’t get enough of the feeling. At least everyone is quick to notice that about him, and his siblings had given up on trying to get him to wear shoes more often.

_#q22: The Nohr Noble and Hoshido Noble class give Corrin/ Kamui another skill which are healing and magic. My question is does Anri/Arisa keep learn these skills once they are prompted or is it just for decoration?_

_\- Anonymous_

Anri and Arisa get promoted classes after an important turning moment of the story, so the skills they gain in the game would be meaningful as well. Both of them get really badly injured and destroy their current set of armor after a certain plot point, so their families decide to give them a new suit of armor.

Arisa gets something that looks like the rest of her family’s patterns to show that she has finally gained the fortified trust of her family and new allies. She learns healing as a part of gaining some closeness to her roots and to give her a way to help people that doesn’t involve risking herself so much (and doesn’t involve running into burning buildings).

Anri gets something that looks like the Nohrian family’s black armor color scheme, too, but he gets to keep a tattered, slightly burnt cape from his original set, meaning that he has reaffirmed his place in his adopted family. Also I had to come up with a reason why the Nohrian Noble’s cape is all torn up in places. Anri learns magic partially to make up for the fact that he doesn’t feel so comfortable about using his dragon form.

_#q23: I'm assuming Arisa is gonna end up with Silas and Kaze as her retainers like Anri in the Hoshidan AU. Is her relationship with the two any different from Anri? Overall, would you say the relationship is better or worse than it is with Anri?_

_\- Anonymous_

Yeah, Silas and Kaze are still her retainers in a Birthright route, although I would imagine their relationship would change because they work for the Hoshidan army.  
Silas is most certainly out of his element working in the Hoshidan army. He’s only allowed to walk free because Arisa asked Ryoma to spare him. He’d be very touched that she still remembers him vaguely enough to grant him mercy. In the Nohr route, he has to understand that Anri can’t solely rely on him and is willing to trust former enemies to get what he needs. In Birthright, it’s almost a dream come true for him that Arisa more or less has to rely on him since he’s one of the few reminders of her home in Nohr. In that way, she opens up to him a lot more than Anri does at first.

Silas also has to deal with the general treatment of Nohrians in Hoshido in the same way Kaze had to fit into the Nohrian army, but it’s quite different because it’s not just him enduring this hardship, but it’s Arisa’s burden, too. He has to stand back and endure watching Arisa get treated unfairly by the many Hoshidan generals, right up to the point where she nearly burns herself to death just to earn their loyalty and respect. Silas also doesn’t face the immediate aftermath of abandoning his post for the sake of his childhood friend in Birthright, although it does hit home later when he comes back to Nohr.

Kaze gets Silas’ role as Arisa’s preliminary guide of sorts to the outside world of Hoshido and helps the Nohrian characters transition to Hoshidan life. Arisa still retains a friendly relationship with him like Anri does, although. There does come the part where other people seek to control Arisa because she’s completely new to Hoshidan politics, so Kaze seeks to help her navigate it however he can. Since he’s already dealt with his “guilt for not saving Arisa years ago” back when he and Arisa traveled in the prologue, his conflict is likely more to do with his place in the family and with Saizo. His guilt does come back after Arisa does her “burning woman run”.

Early on in the story, I’d imagine that Arisa would be traveling to the Wind Tribe village with Sakura and Azura to get answers about her lineage, and Mikoto’s past. Kaze would naturally accompany them, and he slowly learns that Mikoto’s plans for Arisa and Azura weren’t as nice as they seem, and that her death was to prevent these plans from ever coming to fruition. He starts questioning if this was a plan of Nohrian or Hoshidan influence (it’s messy because it’s Arisa who did her in), and it leads him to more questions when everyone starts suspecting that Hoshidan individuals were behind it. It would just as messy as the Conquest route, to be honest.

_#q24: Sense Anri is Anri's birth name, given by me Mikoto I'm assuming, then didn't Garon ever bother changing his name to something more Nohrian? And I'm also assuming in this AU, Anri is a Vallite name cause it doesn't sound Hoshidan either._

_\- Anonymous_

I didn’t think that far ahead, although a name change was something I did have in mind when I was still sticking to perserving the names Corrin/Kamui. I actually chose the name Anri very early in the writing process as a name that could be both seen as Hoshidan and Nohrian, so it probably wasn’t be as sensible to the story now.

_#q25: I saw that Anri's class, though he's still a Nohr Prince, is a Diviner. But wouldn't his class be Monk because Mikoto was a Priestess?_

_\- Anonymous_

Well, Mikoto was primarily a Water Maiden/Songstress, a Priestess > War Priestess second (much like how Azura’s secondary class is Sky Knight). Water maidens were the precursor to all clerics and mages of the continent, so honestly Anri (and Arisa) could go either way. And Anri, Nohrian raised and aligned, tends to be lean towards offensive types of arts, despite his propensity for pacifism.

_#q26: If Anri stayed in Hoshido, and Azura in Nohr, who would be there retainers?_

_\- Anonymous_

I guess Kaze would have become Anri’s retainer as intended, and he’d find another person among the assorted nobles or potentially Mozu if Mozu ever decided to join the Hoshidan army. As for Azura, Flora would have been under her employ, and she’d find a willing retainer from the Lovells (either Silas or Dennis would have agreed).

_#q27: Is there a reason Anri is classed as a Nohr Prince in this AU, compared to a normal class like his sibling, before he learned of his dragon lineage?_

_\- Anonymous_

I’m not exactly sure what you mean, unless you mean to say why isn’t Anri classed as, say, a starter Dark Mage or a Mercenary (since he’s primarily a sword fighter before going dragon). Well, firstly, it’s canon he starts out in the Nohr Prince class, so I don’t see much reason to deviate from that. Secondly, he was expected to use his dragon form eventually, one way or another.

_#q28: If everyone from Valla had red eyes and could turn into dragons, would they all have the pointed ears, as well? Or is that just some of them?_

_\- Anonymous_

I’d say some of them. Would it make sense to say pointy ears are a recessive trait?

_#q29: Just for curiosity (I won't copy, I promise) how would you put twin Corrins (twins Anri and Arisa?) in your AU?_

_\- Anonymous_

Hmm, that’s an interesting question. It’s a brilliant idea to implement twin dragons, because it would parallel nicely with the origin story of the two divine families, who were created by sibling dragons Kleo and Dion.

One way I could go about implementing the two is the way how Pokemon treats their player choices. For example, if you chose to play one character, the other character would appear as a rival or the professor’s assistant. If you chose one starter Pokemon, the other would take something else.

Now, the problem with that approach is that Arisa and Anri don’t really have the same personalities, even if they’re made from the same template. Anri’s character was tailor made for Conquest, as Arisa was for Birthright, and aren’t as interchangeable as you’d think. To play as Arisa and take a Conquest route sounds a lot harder for me to justify as much as as Anri abandoning everything and taking a Birthright route. Also, there’s the issue of how we need to rework how both of them got kidnapped at the same time, how Mikoto’s death scene would be handled with two dragons, and how the ending would work with two of them.

Now we face the problem of having too many siblings, bc now both Nohr and Hoshido families have to deal with losing one sibling and getting one back. It’s different from the dead royals because most of those kids don’t interact with each other all at once, so when one sibling dies, another steps up to take their place (which is kinda why some of the siblings overlap in personality so much). So, to make this type of story work would require a lot more time, and quite possibly a trimming of characters from both sides. I don’t think we’d even have the same kind of story anymore.


	22. Nohrian Nobility Q&A

  1. What are the symbols of each noble house?
  2. What are the relationships between the noble houses?
  3. What are the typical appearances of the noble families?
  4. What houses are allies or enemies?
  5. Is this based off of Game of Thrones?
  6. Who is Dennis' mom?
  7. Mars making another bad pun again
  8. Why do Jerry and Rose get one retainer but Xander and Camilla get two?
  9. Does Mars make puns about Loren's betrothal to Roswitha?
  10. Why is Loren Rose's retainer?
  11. Were Loren and Rose lovers?
  12. What kind of relationship did the royals have with their retainers?
  13. Why is Horatio named Horatio?
  14. How did Claudia and Diantha meet?
  15. What was Marius and Loren's relationship like since they were close to Rose?
  16. Saverio is a torture technician
  17. Does Miriam know Jakob is her half-brother? Do they get along?
  18. How did Diantha impact Peri?
  19. Why are the Albrands whiny bitches?
  20. How does Claudia feel about the fact that her brother Silas is basically whipped for Anri?
  21. Is Scarlet a member of any noble house?
  22. How would a family dinner go with the Minetts?
  23. Which noble houses are likely to start a revolution?
  24. Julius and Wolf look alike!
  25. How did Sloane lose an arm?
  26. Is Azura's pendant a dragonstone?



* * *

 

_#q1: I know you've said that you'll post more about the noble houses as time goes on, but if it's not too much to ask, can you tell us what each of their symbols is? You've mentioned a couple, but I think it'd be nice to have them all in one place, haha._

_\- Anonymous_

Sure thing! Let me provide some extra details, too, like their colors!

  * Albrand - gules, a griffon rampant or (motif: spades)
  * Buelen - or, a bull passant sable (motif: diamonds)
  * Durand - vert, a unicorn rampant argent (motif: clubs)
  * Lorenzen - purpure, a dragon passant or (motif: hearts)
  * Gehring - or, a shield and spear gules
  * Lovell - azur, a greyhound rampant argent
  * Minett - murrey, a crow overt sable proper
  * Ragnar - sable, a falcon rising argent



Before I chose their names, their placeholder names in my drafts were things like “ClanA” and “ClanB”, so Albrand, Buelen, and Durand were named with the assigned letter I had for them. Their names are pretty easy to interpret if you look up a surname database and know basic heraldry.

_#q2: What are the relationships between the major noble houses? Would there be a relationship chart for that soon?_

_\- Anonymous_

I’ll save this question for a bio post on the noble houses, but there’s already a list of which major noble houses exist for keeping track of them. I’ll make a relationship chart for them later when the bios come out, though I can make a few important notes and iterations of facts I’ve said before:

  * Lorenzen is really small because they’re like a branch of Albrand but not really. They also had a bit of a messy succession crisis that led to Garon’s ascension
  * Durand and Albrand has an all out blood feud, resulting in the Durands getting massacred
  * Lovell took no sides in this feuds and was strictly netural, but they favored the Durands only slightly because of an arranged marriage between their future heads, but they were willing to not honor that alliance if the king said they didn’t have to
  * Minett and Gehring were once sworn to Albrand before they became independent and had a seat at Windmire as a major noble house
  * The Durands hate the Minetts because they took some of their best land from them.
  * Ragnar doesn’t like involving themselves in Windmire affairs, but they respond pretty well to anything from House Lorenzen, which is weird when they aren’t answering their calls



_#q3: What are the typical appearances of some of the noble families? Just wondering since Xander/Marius/Diantha are all blonde and half Albrand, and Peri has that distinctive blue hair and is an Albrand as well._

_\- Anonymous_

Most of these families don’t have much of a set scheme aside from their house colors, so there are a lot of exceptions. You could try and draw some theories about who’s distantly related to who (since Fire Emblem loves to denote relation and nationality by hair color), although I can’t say if they’re all true.

  * Lorenzen - currently a lot of blondes bc Garon seems to be the only guy from two generations back who’s still alive.
  * Albrand - lots of blondes, or pastel colors.
  * Lovell - A lot of cool colors (blues, silvers, purples)
  * Durand - The main family have varying shades of red. So, they’re a family of Christmas trees. If they aren’t redheads, they’re tend to go for darker colors.
  * Gehring - A really large variety of hair colors, really hard to pin down.
  * Minetts - Varying shades of purple hair. This is played pretty straight.
  * Ragnar - They don’t have much of a set scheme, but both Tatiana and Sloane have white hair. A lot of the other members of House Ragnar have dark hair.



_#q4: I really love the story of the Albrand-Durand conflict, which is qhy i am asking: will there be a time where you explain which Houses are allies/enemies with each other?_

_\- Anonymous_

The blood feud between the two families during King Garon’s reign is a leftover of the “messy succession crisis” I mentioned a while ago, but the Durands and the Albrands have been at odds for quite a long time. I won’t get into too much detail about those in the near future, but I can imagine it was a ton of backstabbing and secret alliances a la War of the Roses. Otherwise, it’s like how the Capulets and the Montagues hating each other for so long they’ve all forgotten why they hated each other.

As for the alliances of the conflict, here’s a quick rundown. Durand and Albrand are both pretty big families themselves, so they’re all pretty huge on their own. The Albrands have a high and rising family like the Gehrings, and later the Minetts. The Durands had three really good, highly influential knight companies and some assistance from the Lovells until more evidence of the Durands’ cooperation with Hoshido were brought to light. The Ragnars were the true netural and didn’t give two shits about the conflict, while the Buelens played lawful neutral. The Lorenzens are also technically neutral, but they’re like a very independent cadet branch from Albrand, so the cards were already unfairly dealth ever since Garon ascended the throne and married Katerina first.

And I guess no one really was a good guy in this conflict. Honestly, the Albrands and Durands are complete dicks, and the only reason Albrand seems better is because the have a slightly higher ratio of turning out nice people. Lovell and Buelen are technically are justified in trying to align with no one, but that didn’t help at all. Lorenzen couldn’t do shit because Garon was oscillating between sane and not sane and made an unreliable judge. Even if you wrote off the Albrands and Minetts as the good guys by looking for themselves, they still fucked over tons of people to get what the stability they wanted, all in the Albrand name.

Random Note: Did a Romeo/Juliet scenario happen out of this feud? Yes, but instead of the couple dying together and teenage hijinks, one married into the other’s family and was promptly disowned by his own family after much discourse. He was spared from the massacre.

_#q5: Is it just me, or does this entire AU seem similar to Game of Thrones? There's nothing wrong with that, I'm just wondering if you were inspired by that show._

_\- Anonymous_

I actually haven’t watched that show, but I do cite the War of the Roses as a source of inspiration, and I’m aware George R.R. Martin was inspired by that.

I realized I forgot to mention how Danica’s death and Theresa’s character are inspired by Susanna von Beenemünde from Ginga Eiyuu Densetsu (I haven’t even finished that show). Still on like episode 50 or smth.

_#q6: So, is Dennis the son of Ainsley, or is he just a really distant cousin of Silas and Claudia?_

_\- Anonymous_

Well, Loren is Silas and Claudia’s cousin by their aunt Matilda, and I actually didn’t think about Dennis’ parentage until you mentioned it. Good idea.

Dennis is Ainsley’s son confirmed. His father was lost in the second wave of the Hoshidan-Nohr conflict, so it’s just the two of them. Considering how completely different son and mother are, one could say Dennis was more influenced by his father in personality. Ainsley is very pleased that Dennis is marrying Julius, since that would maintain Lovell and Minett relations.

Could Ainsley have tried to seize control of the Lovell family through Dennis? Nah, she loves her brother Barnaby too much to do that, and she believes in Claudia to do the right thing. The Lovells don’t have as much inner conflict as the other major noble families (The Ragnars are even more peaceful amongst themselves), aside from the whole Barnaby got poisoned by his second wife incident.

_#q7: Mars to Diantha if she and Claudia ever sparred and Diantha ended up losing: "I guess she really... clawed-ya" (sorry i'm really feeling the puns tonight)_

_\- Anonymous_

How unfortunate that the girls were doing battle with staves.

_So then, if Claudia uses staves, does she teach her dogs to "heel"?_

_\- Anonymous_

Yes.

_#q8: Rose and Jerry only got one retrainer while Xander had two at a time and Camilla had two. I can see Jerry being all like "gross less people the better", but rose seems like she needed an enterouge_

_\- Anonymous_

While the reasoning for Jerry and Rose having one retainer is pretty good, Diantha and Marius only had one retainer as well. Technically each royal is obligated to have one retainer. The second one is optional but is the maximum. I guess if they lived longer, Diantha and Marius would have gained another one because they sound like someone who wouldn’t have just one.

_#q9: Did Mars ever joke about Loren being fated to marry into the royal family and become a Lorenzen_

_\- Anonymous_

Oh yes. And all his siblings made sure he paid dearly for that joke.

_#q10: Why did rose pick Loren_

_\- Anonymous_

She picked him off a list of recommendations provided by mommy Irma.

_#q11: Wait were rose and Loren lovers?_

_\- Anonymous_

Loren never got to tell her when he died, although she doesn’t feel the same way for him. His death still affected her greatly, however.

_#q12: Can you explain some of the relationships the dead royals had with their retainers? I'm actually kinda interested in Roswitha and Loren's._

_\- Anonymous_

Sure thing!

 **Xander and Faye** : Faye was one of Xander’s many mentors and was also his public speaking coach. Her easygoing nature and rather excessive drinking worried Xander somewhat, but her competence always shone through to the very end.

 **Xander and Lockie** : Both boys were really shy and not that talkative, so they became fast friends because they were quite alike. Lockie is also really squeamish about blood, so Xander usually takes care to avoid messy situations.

 **Diantha and Zhara** : Diantha chose Zhara because he placed highly at a tournament and because she knew him as the son of the chef’s working at the castle. For the most part, the relationship is amicable. Zhara admires his liege’s beauty and kindness but stays within his boundaries. She often gives him vegetables and fruits from her garden for his mother’s cooking pantry.

 **Marius and Nichol:** Likely the most argumentative of the retainer-lord pairs. They don’t really appear to agree with each other much, but they still stay around each other anyways. If Xander and Diantha aren’t around to be Marius’ impulse control, it’s usually up to poor Nichol.

 **Jeremiah and Daniela:** Inseparable childhood friends and fellow student mages in the mage temples, although Daniela pursued the path of a tactician while Jeremiah studied research. Daniela can read Jeremiah fairly well, and Jeremiah enjoys her presence the most.

 **Damian and Sydney:** Damian knows Sydney best as the young knight who accompanied Seraphina when he was rescued. He never forgot her kindness and kept in touch with her for years.

 **Damian and Sloane:** They hated each other the moment they met, but they were very close friends. Sloane was crucial to helping Damian overcome his grief after participating in the Massacre of Durand with his liege.

 **Roswitha and Loren:** Rose accepted Loren out of obligation, and there was talk of engagement as well. They only knew each other for two years before Loren died in battle, but Rose remembers their hunting trips together.

_#q13: I didn't know how to say "Horatio" for awhile until I heard it on scooby doo_

_\- Anonymous_

It’s not that popular of a name anymore, from what I know, so it makes sense. Although I did pick up with the name Horatio from all those books I read in middle school. Otherwise, the alternate way I heard of the name is Horace Slughorn.

_#q14: How did Claudia meet Diantha_

_\- Anonymous_

They met in the Garden of Champions, where Diantha was maintaining what little greenery there was. Pleased to see she had an audience, Diantha went ahead and brought forth an extra tree in the middle of the courtyard, although she was later scolded for doing so. They were only children then.

_#q15: What was Marius and Loren's relationship like? (If they had one). Both of them are close to Roswitha so did Marius know of their engagement?_

_\- Anonymous_

Loren didn’t get especially close to the rest of the royal family since he wanted to keep things professional. Mars isn’t really one to really take part in gossip unless Diantha tells him anything, so he wasn’t really aware Rose and Loren were possibly going to be engaged.

_#q16: Wait Saverio and Theresa were siblings? That's creepy especially with all the damage they have done before they were slaughtered._

_\- evonee_

Indeed. Also, Saverio was a bit of a torture technician.

_#q17: Does Miriam know Jakob is her half-brother, or even know Jakob at all (vice-versa can be said for Jakob, though he'd probably know)? If not, then how would she react to finding out? If she does know, then how does she and Jakob feel about being half-siblings, how would they act towards each other? It would definitely be interesting to see their relationship as half-siblings as sort of a contrast to Nohrian siblings own relationship. Just a thought._

_\- Anonymous_

Jakob is well aware that his father had a legitimate child after his birth, but like a lot of people, he doesn’t like Ursus at all. If Claudia has to go to see Ursus, he makes himself less noticeable to avoid any contact with people except with Claudia. Even so, Ursus doesn’t recognize Jakob these days, which makes things easier for Jakob to hide his relation to the Gehrings. Whenever he runs into Miriam, who isn’t aware he is her brother, he observes how different their personalities are, but he doesn’t feel especially angry or bitter about it. He enjoys serving Claudia and doesn’t ever think of possibly parting with her.

Since Ursus swept Jakob’s whereabouts under the rug, Miriam isn’t aware of Jakob. Only until the unfortunate death of her father does she learn that Jakob is her brother, and she’s completely ecstatic that he exists. She’s spent a lot of time clinging to her father, so she’s quick to try to cling onto Jakob. She’s certainly envied how her friend Elise has so many older siblings and wishes she weren’t an only child, although Jakob isn’t particularly willing to be her older brother.

_#q18: Hi, I just want to say that I love your work with this AU! I was rereading your post about Xander's potential consorts (their strengths & weaknesses as marriage options) and I noticed that you said Peri had been pretty close to Diantha. What was their friendship like, especially in light of their opposite views on violence?_

_\- Anonymous_

As cousins, they had to meet up very often because Grandpa Augustine really liked hosting multiple family reunions a year. And in Diantha’s early years, she and her brothers lived with their grandfather for a short period of time to stay away from the deadly happenings in the royal court. Since Peri and Lockie were the only Albrand cousins who were remotely around the twins and Xander’s age, they all gravitated together as friends. This was before Peri lost her mother, so she wasn’t completely gung ho about dishing out violence the way she does now.

Peri and Diantha used to love riding horses on Peri’s family estate in the summer and baking in the spring and fall in their grandfather’s kitchens (or rather, Diantha watched while Peri baked everything). They also liked to bug Xander and Marius for petty favors. At the time, war hadn’t hit close to home for them, and they were able to freely move between each others’ residences. When time came for Diantha to return to Castle Krakenburg with her brothers, they promised to write often, and Peri never turned down a chance to visit the capital or grandpa’s reunions.

Then everything went to shit when Peri’s mom was killed by a Durand servant, and her father started become more paranoid and micromanaging his daughter’s everyday life “for her safety”. Servants were killed for single slights under suspicion that they worked for the Durands. Peri, too, was giving in to paranoia over the Durands and became scared of her father and herself. She wrote to Diantha less and less, not wanting to share her grief. Diantha grew worried and eventually took it upon herself to see Peri personally and urge her to find a place away from her father who has become more manic by the day. Fortunately, war broke out on the border, and Peri saw an opportunity to leave the estate to fight for her country, but her paranoia for backstabbing Durands never left her, which only set her apart from the rest of the army.

While Peri eventually made it to the official royal guard through her merits, she was still seen as a sort of lone wolf among her peers, only being friendly with her cousins, the eldest royal children. She no longer spoke with her father and preferred to stay in the castle rather than visit home. After all, Diantha, one of her few pillars of support, lived here. But by then Diantha had become a woman of less cheer these days, constantly working to cure her father’s illness and grieving for her dead twin brother. They returned to their usual pattern from childhood, but things weren’t ever quite the same.

Diantha’s death only contributed further to Peri’s paranoia and desire or revenge. She eagerly joined the royal guard to go down to Fallmount and kill the Durands once and for all, an act she thoroughly enjoyed. But once that was over, Peri felt aimless and began to lost motivation to do battle in anything, until she remembered how much she craved for the thrill she experienced in the Massacre of Durand. She entered more tournaments, fought in more battles, and just kept fighting, never giving herself peace.

All enemies were the same, not different the Durands, and they all wanted her dead. Perhaps the Durands who conspired against her family and the crown weren’t all dead, so she had to always be wary. If she pictured all her enemies as a Durand, she had no regrets slaughtering them. It’s an awful idea that doesn’t help her mentally, she agrees, but who doesn’t enjoy the satisfaction of slaughtering someone you hate? No one is stopping her.

_#q19: Will the Albrands ever stop being butts because it looks they're not happy about anything if you don't do what they want?_

_\- evonee_

The general attitude of a house is very strongly linked to the that of the head of the house, so Augustine’s views and words really set the tone for his house. Say he were succeeded by a more liberal head, the Albrands can take a different direction in their approach to various situations.

_#20: How did Claudia feel that her little brother was getting close with a member of the royal family_

_\- Anonymous_

Claudia’s happy for him, but is still worried for him at the same time. The Lovells get along with the Lorenzens really well (Garon’s mother was from House Lovell). Knowing her own history with the royal family, she isn’t surprised Silas would end up being so close to one of the royal children. Claudia doesn’t hold any grudges against the royal family for Diantha’s death. In fact, Camilla and Damian helped her recover from Diantha’s death, and she’s very grateful for that gesture.

What does concern her is her little brother’s tendency to get into trouble and, dare I say it, obsession with the people he likes. The family decided to send Silas to Arlcliff away from the capital because of the whole mess in Windmire and also because of the skirmish with Hoshidans. So they wanted him to specifically stay out of trouble, but then he went and got in trouble for a whole different reason (sneaking Anri out of the castle on multiple occasions). His actions didn’t exactly jeopardize the Lovells’ reputation, but people did start whispering a lot and questioning Claudia and her father about how Silas was brought up. Silas was banned from Arlcliff and was later sent to study somewhere near Windmire instead, and knowing the type of guy he is, he would forever keep the friend he risked his standing for in the front of his mind.

Things went smoothly until several years later when Silas was only supposed to accompany Elise to the border of Fallmount then join with his commanding officer and mentor Lord Duncan Albrand at Notre Sagesse as reinforcements. Instead, he went charging into the forest with some of the men in search for Anri, whose group was getting attacked by Faceless. Afterwards, he stayed with Anri out of concern since Anri’s supposed bodyguards were dead or apparently “not trustworthy enough”. Granted, he saved his friend from certain death, but because of his actions, his team of reinforcements didn’t come in time to help Lord Duncan, and the fortress at Notre Sagesse fell to Hoshidan forces led by Hinoka and Takumi, leaving the town of Dia wide open.

Eventually that matter gets cleaned up, but had it not been for Silas’ change of mind, Lord Duncan would still live, Notre Sagesse wouldn’t fall, the entire Fallmount cleanup would have been much less messy, but Elise and Anri may have perished in the Forest of the Forlorn before they could get started. Claudia is ambivalent about the choice he made because she understands how much Silas missed his childhood friend, but she believes his drive to go back to Anri is ridiculously excessive. She remains agreeable with Anri should he ever need any assistance, but she sends Jakob over to Fallmount to slug Silas in the jaw and deliver an angry letter about her disappointment. Now if Howlers existed in this universe…

_#q21: Is Scarlet a member of any of the noble houses?_

_\- Anonymous_

Scarlet is not from any of the major noble houses, but her parents were reputable knights in the Nohrian army who came from commoner backgrounds. Her second-in-command, Matthaus seems to have a deep seated hatred for House Minett for some reason…

_#q22: I love Sloane and Dennis. The Minetts have fantastic taste in men. Can you imagine a family dinner? lol_

_\- Anonymous_

Either it would be a fairly civil dinner full of pretty people where Camilla and Julius one up each other in fashion, or it would just be complete chaos one knows a lot of bickering will happen if Selena and Dennis are in the same room. But then again, Julius, Camilla, and Nelly are scary together combined (it would do not to get on their bad side all at once).

#'dennis you're being disappointing...', #'I'M SO SORRY JULESSSS I WON'T DO IT AGAIN', #most ppl think julius smiles way too damn much even when he makes threats

_#q23: Cheers, it's me again! I've started reading the Codex you posted on AO3 on my way to university today and so far I'm really loving it! (I love how there's also visual things to go with the description of the noble houses and all, it really helps to get the mood!) So I know you have that Rank the Royals series, but do you mind me asking you to rate on a scale of "nope" to "bring out the axes" (1-10 is fine, ignore me being silly please) how likely the noble houses are to start a revolution?_

_\- suzumicchi_

That’s an interesting question since now we have to talk about the historical attitudes of the different families. There is also a dependency on who’s next on the throne, in this case, Xander after Garon, Oswald, Hugo, and Rembrandt.

  * Lovell - Known as the more diplomatic of the families, and are ridiculously loyal to the country. Although they did screw their own original king over in favor of House Lorenzen, so we just don’t know. At least for now, Claudia favors Xander a lot, but respects Garon’s authority while he is still king.
  * Ragnar - They’re more content to leave things to their own devices, because very rarely do a lot of issues seem to faze them and operate independent of capitol affairs. This may be a weak position to hold, since if they don’t have some sort of strong voice in Windmire, they probably would won’t get things done in their favor. Yet things have been going well for them, mostly because they have strong military power, which usually puts other military heavy families at some sort of unease.
  * Buelen - The more opportunistic of the families, so unless the king shows sheer incompetence, they’ll likely take the side of the establishment. A revolution is inconvenient since they would be annoyed if any of their excavation projects or research gets held up because some dumb idiot in the capitol decides to have a civil war. If they do help in a revolution, you know that shit’s about to go down really hard.
  * Durand - Saverio and Theresa’s time was quite an unprecedented event, since the Durands often were seen as the less aggressive noble family compared to the Albrands. They usually put their full trust in the crown, and are more likely to keep the establishment as is, even if it may be inconvenient for other families.
  * Minett - Back when Seraphina was more or less the de facto head of the family (Aurele is the named head, but we know who’s in power here), there were speculation that Seraphina had potential to oust a noble family (and they did). But with Julius at the helm, it’s very unlikely he and his people would try anything funny, since they hold a high respect for Xander, the heir apparent. They’re uneasy about Garon’s increasingly visible madness, and hope the crown will be transferred to Xander soon.
  * Lorenzen - A wild card, since Nohrian rulers have had their fair share of diplomats and tyrants. There have been cases of pretty bad infighting amongst themselves, counting in Oswald’s attempt to seize the throne for himself.
  * Albrand - Out of all the houses, they are the carry the most militant attitudes, and are pretty possessive over their influence on the throne. They have been responsible for one or two revolutions far in the past, which only further cemented their deeply ingrained ties with House Lorenzen. They are best handled with caution.



_#q24: haha, yeah... julius seems nice in comparison to fire emblems light yagami. anyways just wanted to say that the way you drew julius makes him look kinda like wolf from fe1/3/11/12. dont know if that was intentional or not but the comparisons their._

_\- archer3-13_

Wait, seriously? I swear there wasn’t anyone who looked like-

 

Oh. Well, that was not intentional.

_#q25: Wait how did Sloane lose a limb?_

_\- Anonymous_

Sloane had to have an arm amputated because troubadours couldn’t get to him in time after he was badly wounded protecting Damian. He’s been working with local Buelen mages who have proposed the idea of artificial limbs, but progress has been really slow. Otherwise, he doesn’t mind fighting one handed.

_#q26: Head canon guess. Azura's pendant has a piece of dragon stone in it. It's the blue gem, which is also why when she sings Lost in Thoughts All Alone, it glows and aids in calming the dragon._

_\- Anonymous_

Well, you are correct about one of the functions of Anankos’ Fire Emblem, although I feel like that was already clear in the available text. It has other functions and compatible songs, too.


	23. Dead Royals Q&A Part 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A lot of these questions center around Jeremiah (and his retainer Daniela), but there's some stuff on the other siblings here, too.

  1. Would Leo and Jeremiah still hate each other if Jeremiah hadn't died? Why did they hate each other?
  2. What was the nature of Jeremiah and Daniela's relationship?
  3. How did Jerry and Dania meet?
  4. Did everyone hate Jerry?
  5. DId the other siblings acknowledge Jerry's hate for them?
  6. What was Rose and Camilla's relationship?
  7. Did Mars and Camilla have any relationship?
  8. Was Jerry happy when each of his siblings died?
  9. Who would the dead royals be able to S Support if they lived?
  10. What was Damian and Rose's relationship like?
  11. Did Damian have a bachelor party?
  12. Did Damian and Camilla personally kill Thomas and Liselotte?
  13. Would any of the Hoshidan royals marry the Nohr royals?
  14. Did Jerry have any friends outside of Daniela?
  15. Was Xander distant with his siblings?
  16. How did the surviving siblings react to Diantha's death?
  17. Which of the Fates paths would the royals choose if they played Fates?
  18. If Thomas didn't die, would have been a knight alongside his brothers?
  19. Who knew Camilla killed Roswitha?
  20. Who killed Mila?
  21. What if Roswitha lived?
  22. How would Damian and Thomas react if they lived and Azura came back?
  23. How would Damian treat Thomas and Liselotte if they survived the Durand Massacre?
  24. Could Elise ever be a spymaster?
  25. How would royal children be verified?
  26. Would the royal kids be forced into arranged marriages?
  27. Why did Liselotte hate Azura?
  28. Why didn't the siblings or consorts try to kill Xander?
  29. How did Camilla feel about Thomas?
  30. Marius is pun master part II
  31. Rank the royals from best to worst relationship with their retainers?



* * *

 

_#q1: Had Jeremiah lived, would he and Leo have fought over who was Anri's favourite sibling? Would they still hate each other? Why did Leo hate Jeremiah?_

_\- emi-hinote_

Jerry doesn’t exactly care if Anri likes him better or not, but Leo would take offense if Anri said he liked Jerry better.

Now as for their dislike for each other, I think they would have smoothed their issues had Jerry been allowed to live longer.

Jerry doesn’t like Leo for surpassing him at a younger age, and also getting chosen by the Brynhildr, which didn’t choose him. It’s a mostly based on a matter of pride that he hated Leo the most of all of his siblings. Sure, he has done plenty of awesome things, but he was so hung up about not getting the Brynhildr he forgot about all the other good parts about himself.

* * *

 

_#q2: What was the nature of of Jerry and Daniela's relationship? Were they just good friends or something more?_

_\- Anonymous_

They were good friends, and Daniela was named his retainer for a while until he died. Jerry thinks she can get overly ambitious and nosy, and Daniela thinks he get lost in his own world a lot and shouldn’t be so closed off to others, but they can both agree they complement each other. They also know each other’s darkest secrets, so that’s a plus.

* * *

 

_#q3: Sorry if you've talked about this before, but how did Jeremiah and Daniela meet?_

_\- Anonymous_

I’ve never actually talked about it, but I might as well come out and say it. They studied together in Morbank, so they ran into each other a lot, and Daniela didn’t know that one does not simply stroll over to the prince of Nohr and chat up a storm with him. Cue amusing conversation between Jerry and Horatio about whether or not Daniela has any intentions to be his friend. Honestly, Daniela just wanted to be his friend, and was a good partner in practical exercises.

* * *

 

_#q4: Did everyone hate Jerry back or did they just ignore him_

_\- Anonymous_

Some people hated him because of his unpleasant personality, while others ignored him since he makes a good job of evading any interaction with them. A lot of people think he’s an eccentric recluse who holed himself up at the mage’s temple (I mean, who wouldn’t with the stuff going down in Windmire), but is respected among his peers for his contributions and involvement in various projects conducted for the Buelens. It’s not easy to get in touch with him.

* * *

 

_#q5: Did the other siblings really acknowledge Jerry's hate for them?_

_\- Anonymous_

Xander, Marius, and Diantha are aware he doesn’t like them, and accept it as a given since they don’t have the same mother. It’s obviously nothing new for Camilla, Damian, Thomas, and Liselotte because they have enough haters.

Rose and Jerry used to get along, but Jerry changed along the way, so it breaks her heart that he hates her like everyone else.

Leo, of course, has been aware of this ever since he began studying magic under Horatio.  
Anri and Elise have questioned why he doesn’t want to talk to the other siblings, and Jerry simply says they’re too young to understand.

* * *

 

_#q6: What was Rose and Camilla's relationship?_

_\- Anonymous_

Pretty distant at first. They did go on a campaign together in south Fallmount, but both didn’t feel inclined to talk to each other. Camilla was put off of Rose’s blind and extreme devotion to their father (and subsequent things she did to the Ice Tribe), and Rose was equally as wary because Camilla did participate in one of the biggest massacres in the history of Nohr.

Of course when Camilla started bringing the family back together, Roswitha grew attached to Camilla really fast, likely because of the loneliness she felt for so long and left unaddressed. While Camilla didn’t feel as strongly attached (if anyone was truly her big sister figure, it’s Nelly), she could see the value in their relationship and truly wanted to help Rose get better. In some ways, it might look one-sided, but Camilla did care for Rose quite a lot to have such a hard time choosing between her and her younger siblings.

* * *

 

_#q7: Did Mars and Camilla have any form of relation ship_

_\- Anonymous_

Not much besides acknowledging each other’s existence, which is actually miles ahead of a lot of the other relationships among siblings. They’re weren’t especially close, but could hold a decent conversation without wanting to kill each other. They do look out for each other at social events, such as the one time Camilla was forced to wear a really tight corset and couldn’t breath so Marius carried her out because Damian was getting swarmed by too many nobles and couldn’t get to her in time.

* * *

 

_#q8: Was Jerry happy when each sibling before him died, or did he just not care?_

_\- Anonymous_

He may hate everyone, but he doesn’t like to gloat. The only death he’s come close to giving a crap about was Diantha, but sooner or later he was expecting her to drop.

* * *

 

_#q9: If the dead royals were alive who would they be able to S-support from Nohr and Hoshido (of course, married royals won't need to do this. And maybe if Mila/Emil is an appropriate age)? This is a very important question I've been curious over a while._

_\- Anonymous_

Diantha would only S-Support Claudia, no exceptions. As for Mars, I’d give him Nichol, Peri, Charlotte, or Benoit. Jerry would probably have Daniela, Beruka, Selena, or Nyx. Roswitha would have Silas, Nichol, Charlotte, or Selena. Thomas gets Nyx, Kaze, Benoit, or Beruka. Liselotte would have Niles, Benoit, Odin (no joke), or Keaton. As for Mila… Charlotte, Selena, Odin, Laslow…

* * *

 

_#q10: What was Damnian and Rose's relationship like?_

_\- Anonymous_

Very distant. The closest interaction they have is fighting over who gets to spar with Mars first, and Damian would just concede and go with Xander instead, not that Xander isn’t a bad opponent. When it was time to bring Rose back int the family, Damian left most of the talking to Camilla.

Then it turns out they both like spoiling their siblings silly, and things really picked up from there. They still weren’t close, but there times they would work together well enough. It was weird for Damian when he learned how Rose died, but he couldn’t fault Camilla for it as much as he was disappointed in her mother Seraphina.

* * *

 

_#q11: Did Damnian have a bachelor party_

_\- Anonymous_

Yep! Had Sloane and Xander along with some buddies from the Royal guard, as well as his cousins Dennis and Julius. It wasn’t anything too silly because they were in the middle of war, so all they did was explore Dennis’ dad’s experimental brews of beers (both good and bad) and skydive off of Nichol’s dragon from ridiculous heights.

* * *

 

_#q12: Did Damnian and Camilla personally kill Thomas and Liesolotte, or did someone else in the massacre kill them_

_\- Anonymous_

Damian personally killed both Liselotte and Thomas. Camilla killed a couple Durand servants escaping and minor Durand members and left killing the main members of the family to her mom, Lady Gabrielle, and Damian, so she kinda sat back and watched them die.

* * *

 

_#q13: Would any of the Royal H siblings marry the Nohr siblings (whether is be for politics or love or power)_

_\- Anonymous_

If there was an absolute necessity, I’d say Diantha would marry Ryoma for political purposes, or Roswitha would be willing to do it if Diantha absolutely refuses to. Mars and Hinoka wouldn’t be a bad choice either, just gotta let her get used to the puns. Thomas and Sakura would be one of the more smoothly arranged pairs. I really can’t imagine any of the Hoshidan siblings ever wanting to marry the likes of Jeremiah and Liselotte.

* * *

 

_#q14: Did Jeremiah have any friends outside of Daniela? I guess Horatio's the next closest thing but..._

_\- Anonymous_

He knows some of his Buelen cousins aside from Roswitha and has his more cheery coworkers at the mage temples, but…

* * *

 

_#q15: Was Xander distant with his siblings because he was first in line for the crown, was it cause of the consort wars, or was he just that type of dude_

_\- Anonymous_

I’d say a mix of all three. He has many duties to fulfill as crown prince, so he’s busy a lot of the time. He would rather not risk the chance of dying, contact with the more dangerous siblings is not recommended and suspicion of everyone else is warranted. And he really isn’t much of a social person and feels the need to keep things to himself.

* * *

 

_#q16: What were the other living sibling's reaction to Dianaths death?_

_\- Anonymous_

Xander was inconsolable for a full year and kept himself busy because of the war between Nohr and Hoshido because he still couldn’t accept she was dead even after the one year he was given to investigate the matter. Damian and Camilla knew Diantha second best and were present on all days of her funeral.

Roswitha didn’t speak to Diantha much, but she could sympathize with the mourners but only from a distance. Jeremiah was indifferent but agrees with his colleague’s comment that another candle in this darkness had been blown out too early. Leo, who hardly knew Diantha, accepted it as a fact of life, but he did notice how his mother was quieter than usual for the few days following the announcement of her death. Marianne did speak highly of Diantha’s accomplishments very often.

* * *

 

_#q17: Okay, this might sound confusing, but if the royals actually played the fire emblem fates video game, which path would they pick?_

_\- Anonymous_

A majority of them would pick Nohr, but there are a couple exceptions. Diantha and Damian might try Hoshido simply out of curiosity. Mila and Roswitha want to fight everyone so Revelations it is.

* * *

 

_#q18: So Xander, Mars, and Damnian were like a trio of buddies, if there was no Durand revenge, do you think Thomas would have joined as another knight_

_\- Anonymous_

Absolutely. With so many brothers and sisters helping him, he would have been pretty good at the lance, and he’d be happy.

* * *

 

_#q19: You said that Anri is unaware of the fact that Camilla killed Roswitha, but do any of the others know? Or is it a secret to everybody?_

_\- Anonymous_

Xander knows. Jerry didn’t care. Damian definitely knew. Leo finds out later on but says nothing out of respect for her decision. Elise doesn’t know.

* * *

 

_#q20: So, I noticed that on Damian's profile you've stated that he and Camilla are tied for number of siblings they've killed. Damian's got Thomas and Liselotte both, but the only one you've confirmed to be Camilla is Roswitha. Which makes me wonder, was Camilla the one that killed Mila? If she wasn't, will you ever tell us who was?_

_\- Anonymous_

When I wrote that they have the highest kill count in the royal family, I kinda meant of the siblings they’ve killed the most people, but now that you put it that way… this is definitely one of the things I didn’t think through well enough, and the fact that it lines up coincidentally is rather funny to me. So, there’s two ways to go about this.

I’m actually a little conflicted about which way is the best way, since you could simply chalk it off as Theresa being a total monster, or Camilla buying into the beliefs her mother taught her only for her to regret it so much later.

* * *

 

_#q21: Op asked how how things would've changed if Diantha or Damian had lived but what if that person was Roswitha? Like, she was the high princess of Nohr AND she butted heads with Xander - her being alive would've greatly affected how Nohr operates in the present time, I imagine._

_\- Anonymous_

Before she died, Rose was beginning to improve her relations with her older brothers, so she wouldn’t be arguing with Xander as much. But she was still very much in line with whatever Garon said. She would have supported her father’s idea of a more aggressive campaign compared to what Xander and many of the other generals are advocating for now.

* * *

 

_#q22: If he lived, how would Damian have reacted when reunited with Azura in Conquest? What about Thomas?_

_\- Anonymous_

Oh man. Both those boys would be bawling because no way they can’t forget that blue hair even if she’s grown up so much and hid her face. They’d run and pick Azura up as if they were still kids. It’d be a lot of happy crying for everyone. Azura wishes they could be happy like this forever, but that might not come to be.

* * *

 

_#q23: How would Damian have treated Thomas and Liseotte if they survived the Durand Massacre?_

_\- Anonymous_

It would be hard for Damian to change his feelings about Thomas and Liselotte. More like he’d be angry they didn’t die with the rest of the Durands. With the introduction of even younger Nohrian siblings, either his animosity would scare the younger children and make him realize his anger was affecting other people negatively, or the family would continue to remain fragmented.

* * *

 

_#q24: Is there any chances of Elise ending up a Spymaster like Katerina?_

_\- Anonymous_

If given the right circumstances, maybe, but it would take a lot for Elise to get into the same mindset to be a spymaster near the same capability as Katerina. There are a lot of decisions Katerina wouldn’t hesitate on that would really weigh on Elise’s conscience if faced with the same dilemma.

* * *

 

_#q25: If you're trying to figure out a way to test kids for dragon's blood in-verse, maybe a spell of some sort, passed down from Kleo and Dion's time? I imagine lots of ne'er-do-wells wanted to claim to be Vallites back in the kingdom's prime, so it would make sense to have a method to prove their claims right or wrong._

_\- Anonymous_

Yeah. Although I should try to limit how many new things to introduce before they get all convoluted. Maybe keeping things tied to Siegfried, something like a pull the thing out of a sword or like how Harry Potter wands work (flashy sparks and some strange magic way of saying “CONGRATULATIONS” in the sky). The same goes for the Raijinto, and the Fire Emblem would be good enough. Gives these three more importance that way.

* * *

 

_#q26: Would the royal siblings, dead or alive, be forced into arranged marriages in the noble houses?_

_\- savethetoastersbitches_

Well, not from Garon’s side of things. For a strict dad, he’s pretty open to whoever they marry, so long as his kids’ spouses are reasonably respectable and will make his kids happy. Also it’s how he encourages a little bit of competition among the suitors and for him to judge whether or not they are worthy of his children’s hand in marriage. After Garon more or less is incapable of fulfilling this role, Xander also takes a similar stance for his own siblings and family.

Most of the pressure comes from the nobles who want to keep their standing, and if the royals want to marry someone of commoner birth, noble families will more often than not start trying to allow such suitors to be championed under their banner, similar to how Leila and Yvonne are more or less honorary members of the Minetts, or Gabrielle in the Durands’ case. Selena herself is considered an honorary member of the Minetts.

* * *

 

_#q27: Why did Liseotte hate Azura so much?_

_\- Anonymous_

Liselotte mimicked a lot of her mother’s mannerisms and personality, so she disliked Azura because her mother did. She also made this more personal for herself because she envied Azura’s singing. Pretty sure she tried to poison Azura like how Theresa poisoned Camilla’s mother Seraphina, but Azura was fortunate to have been saved by Thomas in those cases.

* * *

 

_#q28: When all the siblings and consort's were sabotaging each other why did they not go for Xander? He was like the big money to kill_

_\- Anonymous_

Oh, believe me, the consorts have tried to kill Xander. It’s just the people around him are savvy enough to see it coming and set up multiple precautions to keep him alive. Xander himself is pretty careful around almost everyone. So far, he’s had two near death experiences from sabotage (first time was poison, second time was getting left for dead like Marius), but has ultimately turned out… almost fine.

As for the siblings, Jeremiah had plans to overthrow Xander, but he died before it could happen. Liselotte’s attempts to make trouble are rather petty (not nearly as bad as she hurt Azura), and back then his old retainers intimidated her from trying anything.

* * *

 

_#q29: What was Camilla's opinion on Thomas? She must have known he was a good kid and she loves sweet things, but she also wanted to keep her mom pleased_

_\- Anonymous_

Camilla actually kept some of Thomas’ gifts even if her mother and brother said not to, but she already gets put off by Liselotte, who Thomas hangs around a lot, so by association she assumed he had ulterior motives for being so kind (she was fooled several times before and doesn’t want a repeat of that). I feel like their relationship would involve a lot of painful misunderstandings, leading to a poor perception of each other. Damian’s prejudice and Seraphina’s disdain for any Durand doesn’t help.

* * *

 

_#q30: who in the lovell family would say "you look lovell-y today"_

_\- Anonymous_

If Marius hasn’t made that pun, Barnaby would have done it.

* * *

 

_#q31: Rank the royals from best to worse relationships with their retainers : o?_

_\- Anonymous_

  1. Damian - Being best friends with Sloane is a bonus to having a stalwart ally. Sydney in some ways was a reasonable adult figure in his life, and also best understands the situation he came from.
  2. Marius- Has a good balance with Nichol, who tends to be the more reasonable one of the pair.
  3. Diantha - Is fairly close to Zhara, who represented her ties to Nohrian military. They bonded a lot over making desserts and pies.
  4. Roswitha - Strictly professional, since Rose doesn’t seek to establish more personal bonds with Loren. Loren doesn’t really mind, since he’s heads over heels for her.
  5. Jeremiah - Daniela was his greatest confidant since they met as children, and Daniela loves him for accepting her despite her background. Both of them felt immense guilt for a lot of the experiments they took part in, and consoled each other when times got rough.
  6. Elise - Strong friendship with Effie, and Arthur perfectly fits with her ideals and is also an unlikely adult figure for her. Both of them kept her company in her loneliness waiting for her mother. 
  7. Camilla - Camilla’s willingness to help Selena and her friends in search for Soleil’s mother and Selena’s unwavering support for her lady after Damian’s death have unwittingly brought both of them together in more ways than one. Beruka is indebted to both Selena and Camilla for showing her mercy even though Beruka was hired to kill both of them. 
  8. Leo - Odin stayed by Leo’s side after his duel with Jeremiah and Horatio’s departure, and hasn’t left ever since. Niles has only known Leo for two years, but greatly respects his pragmatism and reasonable leadership. He is greatly indebted to the boy who saw the potential in him to do great things.
  9. Xander - Faye was his mentor and primary military advisor. She was prone to friendly teasing her lord about his youth and early timid nature. Lockie had been with Xander ever since they were born, and would be willing to fight for his cousin even though he has an aversion to violence and blood. After their deaths, he’s taken a much less personal approach to Peri and Laslow, but keeps relations friendly enough.
  10. Anri - Half and half, since both Kaze and Silas often depend too much on Anri for validation, and Anri often doesn’t address this dependency in their early weeks. Thankfully, they are very transparent with each other, so this is easily fixed.
  11. Azura - Flora may find Azura a good companion, but she is still loyal to Anri first, and if Azura ever did something that would betray Anri’s trust, Flora would have some reason to doubt unless Azura confronts her with the truth. Shura is saddled with a lot of guilt for putting Azura through what she experienced, and may not understand all of Azura’s position, but he is willing to listen, if she allows it.
  12. Thomas - Spoke very little to the retainers who came and went, but he would exceedingly kind and considerate if he had committed retainers. It would be frightening if anyone took advantage of that immense kindness, however.
  13. Mila/Emil - Mila would have a fairly spotty history of retainers, mostly because they’d be picky about who they want, so finding the right person will be a challenge.
  14. Liselotte - Was too young to have retainers until her death, but she would be fairly cold to the men and women could serve her. She would not be immediately trusting of anyone, and would require a lot of testing and prodding before she warms up to the idea of being more open to the people who will follow her.




	24. Dead Royals Q&A Part 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A lot of these questions center around Jeremiah (and his retainer Daniela), but there's some stuff on the other siblings here, too.

  1. Does Liselotte bully Thomas out of love?
  2. How did the siblings deal with Damian's death?
  3. Why is Rose liked less than Liselotte or Jeremiah by the common folk?
  4. Did Dennis and Marius ever meet?
  5. Why did Jeremiah spent time picking on Leo when he wanted to kill Xander?
  6. Why did Jerry hate Rose?
  7. Did Diantha try to befriend Arete?
  8. What if Mars hadn't died?
  9. Did the other siblings know how well Azura sings?
  10. How important was Damian to the family?
  11. What if Jeremiah did become king?
  12. Does Camilla have a score over her left eye?
  13. Why would Leo want to bring back Jerry if Jerry hated him so much?
  14. Why is Diantha not considered a prodigy?
  15. What happened when Leo and Jerry didn't hate each other (before Leo got the Brynhildr)?
  16. Was Rose ever jealous of how the other siblings got along together?
  17. Was is Xander so popular among the common people?
  18. Did the royals have any pets?
  19. What was Damian and Leo's relationship like?
  20. What would Jerry's supports have been like?
  21. Does Liselotte have any positive traits?
  22. Why is Azura not as good a queen as Liselotte?
  23. Rose and Hinoka would have been good buddies if not for the war.
  24. Did the sisters hang out and have tea parties?
  25. Are the 7 princes and 7 princesses a reference to the myth of Niobe?
  26. Did Theresa ever teased Camilla for having blond hair?
  27. Did Hinoka slip to Damian that Azura lived? Did hearing about Azura from Damian change Hinoka's view of Azura?
  28. Why does Grandpa Albrand hate Xander?
  29. How involved were Rose and Jerry in the massacre? Did they dispensable to their father?
  30. A cute comic about Rose, Milly, and Nelly.



* * *

 

_#q1: What was Thomas and Lisolette relationship like. I can assume she bullied him but she loves him_

_\- Anonymous_

Liselotte bullies him because she’s often repeating her mother’s treatment towards Thomas, but at the same time, she loves him because he’s still there for her. A lot of things she’s done has repulsed a lot of people or goes unnoticed, but Thomas is always a constant that’s pleasant in her life. She doesn’t exactly understand how to be affectionate with him, so she acts the only way she knows. When the massacre begins in full force, Thomas spends a lot of time protecting her, and then she tries to do the same because she then understands a new facet of showing affection, which is quite close to what Thomas has always wanted her to realize. Sadly, they don’t survive long enough to consider these newfound feelings.

* * *

 

_#q2: How did the siblings react to Damnian's death? Sure they had to be use to their siblings dying left and right, but Hinoka did bring back his head_

_\- Anonymous_

The elder siblings fell back into their old habits for a year, but got out of their funk so they could continue caring for the rest of the family. The younger siblings who thought Damian was invincible got a wake up call. As a whole, most of them stayed out of the public view for a while, but none of them went off the deep end because the family bonds they Damian and Camilla worked hard to established really helped them out this time around.  
Aside from his head, the rest of Damian’s body was never returned. Hinoka doesn’t know where it is, but she’s never tried to go look for it.

* * *

 

_#q3: How is Roswitha ranking lower than Liselotte or Jeremiah on being liked by common folk?_

_\- Anonymous_

(Referring to the "Rank the Royals" rankings.)

Roswitha’s brutality while taking conquest in the south is quite well known among the people, and her regular clashes with Xander and the rest of the governing council is also well known. Liselotte would be similar to Rose but is good at hiding her darker personality, so people think she’s some innocent child who was not meant to be caught up in the massacre. Jeremiah is not known to be out in the public all that much, so not clearly knowing who he is is better than knowing all the awful things he’s done.

* * *

 

_#q4: Did Dennis and Marius ever meet? Because I feel like they would have gotten along. I friendship it_

_\- Anonymous_

They have! And they’re so alike. They kept in good touch with each other and used to get into all sorts of trouble as children. Their parents hoped that Marius’ new retainer Nichol would rein in their recklessness, but it wasn’t all that effective.

* * *

 

_#q5: Wait Jerry had made plans to kill Xander? Why did he waste his time with Leo, some kid far from the crown_

_\- Anonymous_

If he did go ahead and kill Xander, he’d make an even greater enemy of Leo, who is quite fond of the eldest prince. He’s confident he could beat the other siblings, but not Leo. Better to get rid of the kid while he’s still young and not powerful enough to beat him.

* * *

 

_#q6: When, and why did Jerry start hating rose?_

_\- Anonymous_

Rather than hate, Jerry thinks Rose is boring because she’s grown up into someone else who doesn’t share his interests. He also thinks she’s not all that smart (even though she is is quite intelligent) because of her direct and straightforward nature. He doesn’t really think much of his aunt Irma either, and thinks she made her daughter into some dumb fighting machine. Even so, he thinks she’s so uninteresting he doesn’t want to help her with his problems.

* * *

 

_#q7: Did Dianatha try to be close with Arete, Dia just seems to be the gal whose good to everyone_

_\- Anonymous_

She worked with Arete very often and tried to connect with her a lot, but Arete didn’t like revealing parts of herself or taking part in a lot of social activities in Windmire. Diantha respected Arete’s wish for privacy but wished she knew the consort better. At least she always takes Arete’s side when the other consorts try to pick on Arete, although Arete doesn’t really need protection.

* * *

 

_#q8: //OH YEAH ALSO seeing as I'm too attached to Marius for my own good (really how the eff this happened idunno but I love him), any thoughts about how things might have played out had he lived/not been sent to his death?_

_\- reginalucem_

If Mars didn’t die, then there wouldn’t be as big of springing board for Nohr to go to war with Hoshido, and there would be a lot more discussion about Garon killing Sumeragi. Horatio likely wouldn’t have left the army because Marius survived and would have persuaded Xander to forgive the old man. Also, there would also be an earlier resolution with the eldest trio still intact, probably.

* * *

 

_#q9: Did the other siblings know about Azura's aid wonderful voice_

_\- Anonymous_

You mean that she is a priestess of Valla? The older ones know she can sing really well and didn’t figure out her origin until later, or until they heard rumors that Anri recruited a Vallite priestess into his side of the army and saw for themselves that it was their sister. The deceased ones had no idea she was associated with Valla, as far as we know.

* * *

 

_#q10: The Damian and Leo support was rude, but at the same time it was cute. Damian is my favorite dead sibling so it wad nice to see him. Also Damian is a good sibling and he had something that Xander doesn't. He really was one of the glue pillars for the family._

_\- evonee_

At some point I was about to make it a support between Anri and Damian, but went back to making it Leo’s. As a child, he has a capacity to be quite reckless, even more so than Anri. He would believe he was acting perfectly rationally when he really isn’t. What he did is a mix of insecurity of wanting more attention in potentially dangerous ways, bottling up his feelings in times of grief, and also wanting to be the most competent so he can be to prove naysayers wrong. The sad part of it is that even now he sometimes does fall back to this kind of behavior.

It lines up nicely with what Damian used to be, always wanting to be ahead but missing the big picture, and I thought this would be a nice thing to discuss between them. I guess a major difference between Damian and Xander is just how available they are to the other siblings.

* * *

 

_#q11: What if Jeremiah succeeded in taking the throne?_

_\- Anonymous_

He’d be a rather reasonable ruler, although he’d have to work on his self-image if he had went and killed Xander and potentially Leo and Camilla who wouldn’t take Xander’s death well. As for foreign relations, he would be pretty harsh with Hoshido for multiple reasons and keep things as tense as usual.

* * *

 

_#q12: Many people have head canons that Camilla covers her eye because of an old scar or something along those lines. Is it the same for your au_

_- Anonymous_

If Camilla did have a scar, at least from battle, I feel she’d probably display it more proudly unless it’s the same case as how Nelly doesn’t like her burn scars, scars received over something that brings no honor. I wonder what that could have been...

* * *

 

_#q13: why would leo bring back jerry if jerry hated him so much?_

_\- Anonymous_

(Refers to "Who would each royal bring back from the dead?" "Rank the Royals" ranking)

Leo’s not ten anymore, but he often thinks back to how often he felt like it was his fault whenever Jerry was angry with him and regrets having to kill him in such a manner for multiple reasons. He also feels that killing Jerry has likely ruined his relationships with people like his mentor, his mother, most of the Nohrian mages in general, and perhaps his own siblings.

* * *

 

_#q14: I think the anon if referring to the rank the royals post where you listed Diantha as like 13(?) for being seen as a prodigy_

_\- Anonymous_

Oh! I see!

Diantha’s surprisingly low ranking has a lot more to do with what people think of her rather than her own ability. As a child, she wasn’t some brilliant spellcaster from the get go, and spent the standard amount of time to learn to use magic, while others like Jerry and Leo picked that stuff up much faster than she did. She was given the right to use the Brynhildr, but most of the time she rarely used the tome for combat purposes, which to many would seem like completely wasted potential, especially in a place like Nohr. She certainly has a way with words, but that’s expected out of everyone in the upper echelons of Nohr, so she’s not that special in that regard, either. Diantha also tends to undersell herself a lot of the time, too, by appearing more vulnerable than she really is, for better or for worse. It’s a little trait she inherits from her own mother.

* * *

 

_#q15: Can u tell us more about when Leo and Jerry did get along?_

_\- Anonymous_

You mean before Leo got Brynhildr? Jerry was a bit of the jealous type, so he often feels like Leo is stealing Marie and Horatio’s attention away from him, but he’s also sort of the hands off kind of brother. He can tell if the kid is having trouble with something miles away and gives minimal help, just not so often. Thankfully, Leo is smart enough to pick up on his subtlety, and it sometimes helps make Jerry’s work easier.

As for Leo, he tended to keep his distance around Jeremiah. He doesn’t bombard Jerry with questions about everything like Anri and Elise do because Jerry can be very intimidating (and Anri and Elise are too sweet and innocent to pick on his irritation). Leo used to admire the cold aloofness that Jerry cultivates around himself. He doesn’t feel the same way now, but stuff like that still persists in his personality to this day.

* * *

 

_#q16: Was rose ever jealous of other siblings being close with each other? Like Thomas and Liselotte may have not had the best relationship, but it was clear they had each other. And Damnian and Camilla were a power duo. The twins and Xander were a trio of love_

_\- Anonymous_

She likes to think she was close with Marius, and often denies ever feeling jealousy for her other siblings. Eventually she did get what she wanted, but that happiness couldn’t last forever.

* * *

 

_#q17: Would you be willing to explain why Xander is so high on the ranking for how popular he is with the common people? I can figure out why the others are where they are, more or less, but his place is stumping me._

_\- Anonymous_

As the crown prince, he has to maintain a decent approval rating, and being Katerina’s child wins him many, many favors. His numerous military accomplishments also win him more points since Nohr loves strong people. In relative peacetime, he’s proven to be a reasonable administrator wherever he can. Diantha is often heralded as the one carrying on her mother’s (public) will, but Xander shouldn’t be overlooked, either.

* * *

 

_#q18: Did any of the royals have pets_

_\- Anonymous_

If you don’t count their horses, then very few of them had pets. Marius has tried to keep a lizard in the castle, but that just ended up scaring the servants and his siblings, and Garon had to ask him to throw it out. Roswitha had a pet bloodhound named Zelos as a gift from Loren. Zelos is taken care of by the younger siblings after its owner’s death up and is still alive today but pretty old. Jeremiah was especially fond of an owl and kept him in his room despite his obvious allergies to feathers, and now it lives in Leo’s room. Leo has essentially hoarded all of his dead siblings’ animals.

* * *

 

_#q19: I know we got to see part of it in the support on AO3, but what was Damian and Leo's relationship like? You mostly mention Damian and his little sisters and hardly anything with Leo._

_\- Anonymous_

Both boys hold a lot of respect for each other. Leo admires Damian a lot, even more so than he does for Xander, mostly because Damian is the most accessible older brother figure (Anri’s too close to him in age). He also admires Damian’s strength to atone for what he’s done in the past by interacting more positively with his brothers and sisters. Sometimes, Leo feels Damian is the annoying brother (if Anri wasn’t sometimes annoying already) for checking in on him so often, but he is happy that Damian pays a lot of attention to him when sometimes his other older siblings tend to skip over him because they see he’s so self-sufficient already. For all the messed up stuff Leo’s experienced, Damian and the rest of his family are one of the few healthy constants in his life.

* * *

 

_#q20: Honestly, even though he's an ass, I totally would've married Jeremiah if he was a character in fates- can you tell us about what his supports might have been like?_

_\- Anonymous_

Hm, he’s a rather prickly one, so he’d have as little S Supports as possible. Family-wise, Elise tries to put a flower crown on him but doesn’t know he’s kinda allergic to pollen, so Elise settles for putting ribbons in his hair instead but only for an hour. Jerry would address Anri’s habit of going barefoot.

Beruka and Jeremiah hit it off when she comments on how nice his pet owl looks like. Oh god, imagine Charlotte hitting on him and he just deflects everything she says because he’s got no interest in accepting food or wishy washy compliments.

* * *

 

_#q21: Are there any positives to Liselotte? Maybe she would've ended up nicer if she lived._

_\- Anonymous_

Indeed, she would have changed for the better, if she had the time. As for positives, she doesn’t like to hurt animals. She’s not as overwhelmingly kind as Thomas is to animals, but she doesn’t think they’re worth hurting and tends to keep them out of her plans. So she’s never done anything like harm Jerry’s pet owl or the siblings’ horses. Aside from sabotaging her siblings and various related people, she’s good at baking, had a lot of potential in magic and potions making, which she learned from her mother.

* * *

 

_#q22: why is Azura a worse queen then Lisolette?_

_\- Anonymous_

Because she has little to no experience and knowledge to be one. In Nohr, she was too young to begin learning whatever was required to be a queen. In Hoshido, she wasn’t even considered for such roles where men were prioritized over women. Most people outside the royal family held her in such disdain they weren’t willing to show her the ropes. Mikoto instructed her to devote herself fully to becoming a priestess of Valla. Ryoma lets her help once in a while, but never lets her do anything all by herself. While she learns a lot of things by watching and doing things on her own, no one ever encouraged her or gave her the opportunity to try, and so she sort of gave up on expanding her knowledge of such things.

* * *

 

_#q23: I feel like if there wasn't this entire war going on and stuff, Rose and Hinoka would have been friends and spar buddies_

_\- Anonymous_

Interestingly, Roswitha sounds like what Hinoka could have been like if she were raised in Nohr when I think about it sometimes. There are some differences, for sure, but they’re quite similar in some aspects.

* * *

 

_#q24: Did the sisters ever have tea parties and dinner parties like some royal ladies do? If so, how did that go? I imagine Diantha was good about being inclusive and social, even with her more competitive sisters._

_\- Anonymous_

Diantha often organized social gatherings for the family and friends if resources allowed it, but she never forced anyone to attend and never held it against them if they didn’t want to come. King Garon was also supportive of these events, if only to salvage whatever could be made of their divided family.

The consorts’ reactions to these parties varied among factions. Theresa often declined invitations and discouraged her children from attending if it could be avoided. Seraphina, on the other hand, made a point to have her children and followers attend such gatherings, to become more acquainted all the people who did attend these parties. Irma begrudgingly attended these gatherings, but let her daughter and nephew be excused because of her rigorous studies or some other excuse.

Even if Theresa and Seraphina’s faction were in the same room together, there would be a strange tension that would make anyone who could read the atmosphere very uncomfortable, or there would be a rather vicious contest of who could burn each other the worst with just words. Damian and Camilla used to hate these events because Theresa and her friends would make a point to make their disdain loud and clear, until the two of them learned to carry themselves better and volley nastier insults in return. Diantha has hoped these events would make them get along better, but later events were too much to be solved by simple parties.

Diantha held these parties less and less after Marius’ passing, but Damian, Camilla, and Elise restarted the tradition to greater effect several years later.

* * *

 

_#q25: are the 7 princesses and 7 princes a reference to the myth of Niobe?_

_\- maggieplantagenet_

No, I didn’t mean that to be a reference (I just randomly decided on 14 kids), but wow it would have been a greater bloodfest if it were true to the actual myth. I mean, horrible things happen to each of the kids so it still works. I do have other Greek myth references in this though.

* * *

 

_#q26: Did Theresa ever try to make Camilla feel like Camilla wasn't Garon's child because she is the only kid without blond hair_

_\- Anonymous_

It’s indisputable that Camilla is Garon’s child because she like all the other children passed the ceremony that recognized her as a child of dragon’s blood, so Theresa never picked on Camilla about the legitimacy of her birth. What she does constantly point out is how Camilla’s mother is Nestrian, so there’s that. Theresa never had the chance to hurt Camilla as much as she did Damian, but she didn’t make living in Windmire all that fun for her.

* * *

 

_#q27: When you said that Hinoka let it slip during one of their duels that Azura was still alive, I am wondering if Damian reacted with shock, relief, or anger at the thought of his sister being abducted by the enemy, and if that might have changed Hinoka's views on him or Azura in the end._

_\- mrmissmrsrandom_

Damian met Hinoka on the battlefield after the massacre, so honestly if she slipped before it happened, he would have surely turned into a flying rage. He mellowed out a lot by then, so he’s understandably very surprised and upset when he learns from Hinoka that Azura was taken to Hoshido, of all places. But considering how much of a paradise Hoshido is, he’s relieved she’s living under better conditions.

He and Hinoka aren’t exactly besties on the battlefield, which isn’t exactly the best place to demand answers about your missing little sister. Despite his grief, he still places much respect for Hinoka as an opponent, and because of his honorable personality, Hinoka has come to believe that he is not as bad of a savage as other Nohrians tend to be, but still a savage for fighting with the enemy. At the very least, after their final duel, Hinoka bothered to stay and hear his last words, for Azura and the rest of his family. By defeating him, she finally could establish herself as a fully fledged Sky Knight (she started very late, so that’s why she’s unpromoted at present day), and she still keeps Damian’s black lance, although it’s unknown if she thinks of it as a memorial or a mere trophy.

As for Azura, learning about Damian was one of the few things that elicited any sort of reaction out of her, mostly because she came off as a very placid person, so talking about Damian is about as close to sisterly bonding they had at all. Although Azura had once or twice wanted to make contact with her brother, Hinoka had suggested she shouldn’t try it because Queen Mikoto had said that Azura should not associate herself with Nohr any longer. Azura easily took back her request, so Hinoka believes that the situation had been settled then and there.

* * *

 

_#q28: Why doesn't Augustine of Albrand like Xander?_

_\- Anonymous_

Marius was Augustine’s favorite grandchild, and Diantha was second favorite. He also thinks Xander is a total weakling, despite how much Xander has improved since his teenage years.

* * *

 

_#q29: When the Durand massacre happened how did siblings like Rose and Jerry feel because they weren't entirely involved with that issue, and to know that their own father would have his children killed if they were the children of a certain consort must have been scary._

_\- Anonymous_

Considering how much Jerry had some involvement in making that massacre happen, he was indifferent for the most part. All fault lies with the family as a whole, so it wasn’t just Theresa’s actions that was the primary reason the Durands all died (her brother Saverio’s little reign of terror and the family’s suspected involvement with Hoshido really pushed the line). Liselotte and Thomas’ death was a necessity as letting either of them live would only build resentment in them. As for himself, he would have never believed he’d be indispensable to King Garon…that is, until he lost to Leo, and perhaps before that when he started seeing Leo as a threat.

Roswitha, however, was rather surprised that their father would order such a massive killing, but her mother explained the necessity behind it, and she grew to accept what happened as the Durands being punished for taking their grudge on the Albrands too far. Compared to Jerry, she’d be pretty scared of her father from then on, but not enough to start rebelling and really questioning her father’s sanity. She’d also be terrified of both Damian and Camilla after that, but they proved themselves to be not the entirely horrible people they could have been (at least for a while).

* * *

 

_#q30: I can totally imagine Rose going up to Camilla asking "are we best friends?" And Camilla is like "um yeah" and then leans over to nelly "I'm totally lying lol" as Camilla throws an axe into Rose's back._

_\- Anonymous_

Whoopsie Daisy!

 


	25. Ask the Author

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Answered questions about how I write, draw, etc.

  1. Where do you make this world so realistic? Where do you get information to structure this AU?
  2. Do you have a personal soundtrack for this AU?
  3. What art programs to you use to draw?
  4. Did you have a Corrin for Revelations?
  5. What do you think a modern Nohr would be like?
  6. What ships from past games do you like?
  7. Who's your favorite canon Nohrian sibling? Who's your favorite dead royal?
  8. Thank you for implementing Nier songs in this AU.
  9. What programs and resources do you use to design the clan symbols and aesthetics?
  10. Do you ever worry about your characterization of the canon characters and if people think you portrayed them out of character?
  11. What other AUs have you come up with for Fire Emblem Fates?
  12. How do you feel about the original game itself?
  13. Who's the Robin in your AU? Who did you pair up in Awakening?
  14. What advice do you have for someone who wants to write an AU like yours?
  15. I love what you've done with this AU!
  16. How do you handle racial coding in this AU?
  17. Your work inspires me! I wish your effort would be noticed...
  18. Can people make OCs based off of your AU?
  19. How did you come up with the names for the noble houses?
  20. Would a rom hack of this AU be possible?



* * *

#q1:  _The world seems so realistic, to an obvious extent, and I was wondering where you get your information for structuring this AU?_

_\- Anonymous_

Aw, thank you!

The more realistic parts of the AU mostly comes from me just picking up and learning things. A lot of my knowledge comes from the history classes I was fortunate to have (learning about basic politics and sometimes tactical strategy). As for stuff I sought out on my own, I guess I watch a bunch of documentaries or fun history videos on my free time and I just absorb information when it interests me.

But of course the primary ingredient is willful research and resourcefulness. The internet is pretty rich of all sorts of websites that do help me get a better grasp on historical events and concepts that are good to apply for world building. The libraries have a bunch of stuff, too, since I might as well make use of what I pay for with my tuition while I’m still in school. There’s also people I know I can turn to when I have questions about subjects I don’t know enough about, so that’s another avenue right there.

Basically, pursue all forms of art and media whenever you can. Don’t just derive stuff from just one type.

* * *

_#q2: Your AU is so detailed and fascinating to follow, it's super motivating to me to work on my own canon divergence AU I've had floating around in my head. I don't know if you work that way (I know a great deal of people who don't) but do you have an own personal soundtrack for the AU, too, aside from the music the game itself provides? (Does the question even make sense? Either way, musical inspiration is always super interesting to me…)_

_\- suzumicchi_

I’m honored to hear that I am inspiring your work!

Music plays a large part in creating inspiration for my work, so you’re not alone! Hell, the titles my AU is also a song lyric (it’s “Staying” by Koda)! Although I tend to lean more heavily on soundtracks and instrumentals, so aside from the amazing large and beautiful soundtrack that Fire Emblem Fates already has, I’m always compiling playlists and themes lists for characters and plot moments. For this story, at least, the primary soundtracks I draw from is NieR: Gestalt, Hiroyuki Sawano, Tales of Zestiria, and Code Geass.

Another fun thing I do when looking into music is to look for any hints of any Fire Emblem Fates’ theme in other pieces of music, mostly because one of my favorite things in soundtracks is when they have a cohesive series of leitmotifs running through the entire thing. So then I find tracks like that one moment in the overture theme for the Wu Kingdom in Dynasty Warriors 8 that carries a little, just a little bit of “Lost in Thoughts, All Alone”. Or how that one part of "THE UNIVERS" by Hiroyuki Sawano has a bit of Awakening’s leitmotif in it.

Music in turn is often a great avenue for me to seek out other sources of inspiration. To be honest, Dynasty Warriors got me to learn more about Romance of the Three Kingdoms, which was pretty helpful for building the world for both Hoshido and Nohr, even if it’s just a very small part. Sometimes I seek out music from lesser used sites and come up with pretty great finds, like Presence of Music and Windsphere (although admittedly, I only know these sites because I used to be into Hetaoni years ago).

Honestly, I could go on for days and posts about all the enormous collection of music, in fact, maybe I should just make more music posts to share and share my thoughts, if anyone wants me to (I think I already have a music tag). I say this because I think I should probably space my posts out and not flood the blog with a lot of music posts. I already make a habit of punctuating some of the scripted chapters on AO3 with links to music (with extra information in case the music link breaks), and attach music designated as character themes to any of the posted bios, usually in their titles.

* * *

_#q3: What art programs do you use to draw the portraits of the consorts, dead royals, etc?_

_\- Anonymous_

I use Photoshop CS6 for the most part, but I do use some plugins and certain brushes to get the job done. I use Lazy Nezumi for smoother lines and other features, probably because I’ve had too much difficulty trying to transition to other art programs that have all these features for cheaper. Because I loved SAI’s water tool for blending colors, I found a brush setting for it online, and I use a lot for anything like clouds and shading.

When I used to have a less powerful laptop, Photoshop could get too much of a hassle to start up to do small edits, so very rarely, I use Medibang Paint which seems to be a fairly lightweight program on my computer. Nowadays, I don’t use it as much, with a new laptop, but once in a while I try to draw on it in the hopes of getting used to the interface slowly.

For stuff that will need to be resized a lot, like family crests and logos, I use Illustrator CS6 to make scalable graphics of, and then export to transparent .png files to use in Photoshop.

* * *

_#q4: So we have Anri for Conquest, Arisa for Birthright, but do you have a Corrin for Revelations? I know you had ideas for the children of Fates characters to do that path, but I'd like to hear your thoughts on what would happen if one of your Corrins just up and ditched both sides_

_\- Anonymous_

I had two of them, actually, because once upon a time, I had two different stories for each route with a separate Corrin. Then I realized that was too ambitious and scaled back a LOT. But anyways, let’s talk about Erina and Inge.

I’ve done some fanart for both of them at some point in the past two years, but they are both very different from Anri and Arisa. I was going to make it a joke that Erina didn’t choose either side because she hated taking orders from anyone, so she jumped on Azura’s options and books it with her middle fingers out. She’s much more brattier than her other counterparts, and her so called naivety comes from how she always thinks she’s right. She has a very spoiled personality, but she desires to be less ignorant of her situation and world affairs.

Inge, on the other hand, was a lot more sensitive towards both his families, and plays the naive Corrin straight, but he is much more cowardly than the original, and so he had a great deal of conflict on his indecision and others calling him out on his constant indecision. Azura is more than happy to give him a third option, but Inge eventually has to come to terms that there can’t always be an easy way out of everything, and whatever I would have written up for Revelations would have served to emphasize that.

Anri and Arisa had their own opposite gender counterparts with their own stories, too, but yeah, couldn’t write them all, and they aren’t as well developed. Anri’s counterpart Ilona was a much more competitive person who got a scar from playing chess with Leo, while Arisa’s counterpart Kanetsugu’s shtick was being a complete frustration for any matchmakers because he’s not attracted to anyone (he ends up being companions with Kaze and Silas and go on a long journey somewhere).

* * *

_#q5: Do you have any idea what modern Nohr in this AU would look like?_

_\- just-aron_

I’d think that a modernized Nohr would probably establish itself as a tech hub powered by magic as a consequence of using technology to make up for its lack of immediate access to resources. Windmire would probably be a sprawling skyscraper city, but the Krakenburg castle would stand as a testament to how long the nation has survived despite the odds (whether the royal family continue to have any big power would be debatable). But the major centers of commerce would likely be in the south regions, closer to Nestra and the sea.

* * *

 

_In response to that last ask, what would a modern Hoshido look like?_

_\- Anonymous_

In some future, Hoshido would look like solarpunk, so lots of greenery infused with the architecture and lots of natural lighting for buildings and houses. A lot of focus would be on preserving the landscape of the country, so there’d be a lot of parks, wildlife preserves, and consequently tourism. And as usual, Hoshido would always try to keep some parts of tradition alive, so a lot of ceremonies and rituals done in the past would be performed in the present day, and shrines would still be prominent in various parts of the east lands.

* * *

_#q6: Just wondering, are there any ships from past games you liked?_

_\- Anonymous_

Well, there’s the pairings I made in Awakening, but there are some other pairings I love aside from those listed in that other post like Cherche and Lon’qu, and Frederick and Sumia. I did pair some of the children up together, too (Lucina x Inigo, Cynthia x Owain, Noire x Brady, Nah x Morgan).

As for the previous games, I guess I’ve always liked Ike to go journey off with someone like Soren and Ranulf (I don’t want Ike or Soren to be lonely). Elincia and Geoffrey and Lucia are cute, too. Ninian and Roy go well together, which just makes everything sadder for me when Ninian goes through some… really hard times. I don’t feel so strongly about shipping in the other games, so that’s about it, really.

And because I have a penchant for crack ships, I also ship the laguz and the beorc soldier at the end of Radiant Dawn. Honestly that would be a story to tell children about how they met.

* * *

_#q7: kinda unrelated to this blog, but who's your favorite canon nohrian sibling?_

_\- Anonymous_

I love Elise the most. She’s such a ray of sunshine when I played Conquest, and I also played Birthright before Conquest.

* * *

_Who's your favorite dead royal?_

_\- Anonymous_

I’ve said once that Damian is my favorite. He’s kinda one of the first royals I wrote a full backstory for, so he’s like the oldest of all the dead royals I came up with.

* * *

_#q8: I really like the soundtracks you post for the AU. Especially the Nier ones for Valla. I imagine Grandma playing during Valla's destruction as Arete, Eirene and Azura flee._

_- mrmissmrsrandom_

Thank you! I always loved to imagine Emi Evan’s voice as Azura’s sometimes because Azura has such a shortage of songs.

* * *

_#q9: I'm sorry if you've been asked this before but: what program(s) do you use to design the clan symbols and aesthetics?_

_\- Anonymous_

That’s no trouble at all! In reality, looking up this stuff took some time and effort, so I’d love to make this stuff more accessible to more people who want to look more into this.

The family crests aren’t exactly my original design or work, rather they were pulled from various sites that archived these crests. The only one I designed onmy own was the Ishiyama crest, but all I did was replace the star with a plum flower. My favorite site was kamon.website, but the site died somewhere during winter break, but parts of it have been archived on the Wayback Machine. There are other sites that list kamon, too, but it really helps to know how to search in Japanese. I’m not very well versed in kanji at all, so I rely on Google Translate and Wikipedia to help figure out which characters mean which.

Most of my work is done on Photoshop, but the crests themselves were outlined and finalized on Illustrator because I like to keep scalable versions of the crests to avoid awful blurriness if I resize anything. An easy trick to use is the Image Trace feature, which calculates all the outlines for you. Then I export a large version of the crests to .png files to use in Photoshop. Then it’s just layer masks upon layer masks and meticulous organization by folders to keep everything together.

As for how I did research on the clan symbols (the names, meanings, and history), it took a lot of online wandering, but I based most of my interpretations from a book called Symbols of Japan by Merrily Baird. It’s a great book that is literally a sort of dictionary on flowers, myth, and objects as well as the cultural context behind them. Really cool stuff to learn, like how sakura isn’t a common choice for a family crest since it symbolizes life’s ephemeral nature (fallen sakura petals can be taken as a metaphor to warriors killed young). Reading through the entire book was really fun, and it’s given me a better appreciation for the culture and served as a small guide for me when choosing what to put together for the aesthetic posts.

So here’s a list of what I used for the most part. As for the books, try not to splurge money on them. I found these books at my university library and made use of my status as a student to borrow them. Plus, I’m pretty thankful my university let me renew it for four months straight!

  * [Mon (emblem)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mon_\(emblem\)#History) \- A Wikipedia page to get you started on what family crests are. It’s the most basic and most easily accessible thing to begin your search with.
  * [Symbols of Japan by Merrily Baird](https://www.amazon.com/Symbols-Japan-Thematic-Motifs-Design/dp/084782361X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1502684635&sr=8-1) \- A nice one-stop guide to thematic motifs in Japanese art. A little tricky to cross reference with Internet sources, because sometimes the names aren’t the same and actual Japanese spelling isn’t provided. You may have to do some legwork to find those out for yourself.
  * [Japanese Design Motifs: 4,260 Illustrations of Japanese Crests](https://www.amazon.com/Japanese-Design-Motifs-Illustrations-Crests/dp/0486228746/ref=pd_sim_14_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=3E8PHEYTR6Y7TEEERJ0H) by Matsuya Piece-Goods Store - A ridiculously humongous gallery of family crest designs. The issue I have with this book is that it’s really hard to find stuff if you can’t read Japanese at all, so I suggest going through this after you read up on your symbolism so you know what to look for. There are some translations, but they’re very sparse and crammed at the very beginning and involves a lot of page flipping.
  * [kamon.website](https://web.archive.org/web/20161030010105/http://kamon.website/kamon) \- A site that features a lot of high quality pictures of kamon. Unfortunately, the site has shut down since late December, but the Wayback Machine still has a copy of it and some of its other pages. This site was great for me because they used to offer .png and .ai versions of the files, saving me a lot of grief on Illustrator. The only categories that were featured last time were weather, cosmology, and flowers, but it’s still worth a look.
  * [kamon18.com](http://www.kamon18.com/index.html) \- Another site that lists kamon designs, and is an even bigger collection than kamon.website. This is entirely in Japanese, so Google Translate is your friend, or you can find on the page by searching the actual words. The images aren’t as high quality as kamon.website, but they are defined enough for a quick Image Trace on Illustrator.
  * Sanada Maru - A taiga drama that aired last year in 2016. While it’s still there, each episode has a summary page as well as high quality screencaps from each episode. They’re great for aesthetic posts if you want something from the Sengoku era. There’s tons of these pictures on Pinterest for easy collecting, but this is the main source, so go here for the full experience.
  * [Pixabay ](https://pixabay.com/en/)& [Pexels ](https://www.pexels.com/)\- Some nice open source image sites to use for stuff like flowers or typical Japanese scenery. They don’t always have everything, but they get the job done.
  * [Pinterest ](https://www.pinterest.com/gadaursan/)\- A bit hesitant to suggest this but it’s a pretty useful site, although finding the right key terms and boards is tricky. For example, one of the pictures in the Amachi post is of a geisha dressed as Tomoe Gozen, but it took me several redirects to find it. If you’re especially stumped, you can refer to these boards I put together for personal reference.



* * *

_#q10: When you first started this AU, were you ever worried about your characterization of the canon characters (Xander, Leo, etc) and if people think you portrayed them wrongly/considered them OOC?_

_\- Anonymous_

All the time!

You have no idea how much I keep checking the original scripts and support conversations to keep stuff in line! A lot of my time spent writing is me panicking inwardly about whether or not each thing seems likely to happen, or if someone would say such a thing. In cases of character development, I get worried if I throw people off when some characters come off as very standoffish than they actually are in canon (like Silas and possibly Niles). I’ve run into people who’ve told me I can’t keep in character before, so it’s nothing new to me, but I try my best to stay as consistent as much as I can.

Honestly, the best solution for me would be to find a beta reader to get a second opinion, but I haven’t really thought about asking for one. My very inconsistent track record for updating can be very frustrating to some, so it would be difficult to find someone willing to put up with me tbh.

* * *

_#q11: What other kinds of AU's have you come up for FE: Fates? Besides the Birthright route for Arisa._

_\- Anonymous_

Oh, let’s see… There was a Revelations route with a brattier Corrin in which she doesn’t join either side because she dislikes how pushy both sides are. It would have played out similarly to how the game did, although knowing me, I’d try to smooth out the wrinkles in the story as much as possible.

Then there’s that discarded Conquest AU where Vallite priestesses are actually necromancers and that pretty much makes things really really messy for everyone. Corrin died the day they were kidnapped and was made a puppet of Anankos to kill Mikoto. Azura puts Corrin down then resurrects them for her own purposes, with little consequences on Corrin’s part because of the Fire Emblem (but Anankos hijacks their body or smth in the end). At least she is nice enough to give Corrin a mind of their own because she still has some faith in humanity unlike Anankos does. Corrin then serves as a sort of bargaining chip Azura has with the royal families like ”yeah I nearly killed Garon but kill me and your precious sibling will drop dead so listen up you little shits” so the ending question becomes whether or not the dead should stay dead.

There was also a Space AU because seriously Fates could have played as an anime space opera. Came up with that one while listening nonstop to the Gundam Unicorn and the Aldnoah.Zero soundtrack (had a theme for each character, too). It would have been pretty epic with mechs, colony dropping, Anankos the asshole war profiteer, space colonies vs. earth antics, and Dragon Vein users as the not!Newtypes. It honestly would have turned out like Aldnoah.Zero but with an extra family angle, which meant Corrin gets shot by… probably Xander or Takumi, idk take your pick. I dropped the idea of making this AU because I could never figure out how to fit Azura in there, unless we go full-on Macross Delta on this AU’s ass with the Protoculture Valla and some subplot of having to put down people who get infected by Var turn into Faceless. Watching Delta reminds me of how Nohr and Windermere are similar in some ways… besides the fact that Nohr’s capital is called Windmire.

Well, those are the three AUs I feel are good enough to share.

* * *

_#q12: Did you ever finish all the paths of FE Fates? You did get to play the game, right? If you did, what did you think about each of the paths?_

_\- Anonymous_

Yep. Got the Special Edition and everything. Lil’ sis is having her turn at it right now, but she’s stuck on Camilla’s chapter lol. Now, those three paths… the order I played them was Birthright, then Conquest, then Revelations.

**Birthright**

Pretty average, run-of-the-mill Fire Emblem, but felt like the more complete story compared to Conquest. I didn’t find it much different from Awakening, especially when they pulled that “Corrin dies but not really because friendship” moment. The moments that were supposed to tug at my heartstrings did make me cry a little. I think I shed tears thrice for Chapter 26 bc I watched that cutscene three times. The ending felt so… empty since I already went into this knowing I have to play Revelations to understand everything, and I was very quick to start Conquest afterwards.

I feel the reason it lacked some substance was probably because Ryoma and Takumi spend so much time away from the story, and I felt I didn’t have much time to bond with the Hoshidan sisters apart from support conversations, and they didn’t stand out to me as strongly. I thought Takumi was going to give me a hard time, but nope, he’s ridiculously chill. I actually kinda forgot about Azura until the opera chapter because I benched her pretty early after going A Rank with Corrin.

Also did I mention this game (and the other two) likes to beat you over the head that Corrin is the chosen one? Like I think we were over this kind of stuff years ago, but nah, it’s everywhere! The prologue chapter where Corrin gets the Yato was so corny that I had to put down my DS down for a minute. In fact all the moments where the Yato gets a powerup had me facepalming because I felt like “really? do we really got to do this? really?”. The whole “chosen one” part isn’t as bad as it is in Conquest or Revelations, but yeah, pretty hamfisted.

Another thing I noticed in Birthright was how a lot of supports involved sparring each other, like… is there anything else you guys do aside from fight each other? I know there are some exceptions, but I really felt like a lot of them just involved sparring. Oboro is one of my favorite Hoshidan units because she’s a great tank, and she has a great variety of supports that wasn’t about sparring compared to the likes of say… Tsubaki.

Looking back at Birthright again, I felt really bad for Nohr, because they’re already struggling, and these Hoshidans come marching in and wreck more of their shit, like stop it guys they’ve suffered enough.

**Conquest**

I was most excited for this path, and… I was okay with it, just a little underwhelmed until Chapter 15 when Azura reveals her big plan which left me baffled. Honestly, It felt like Azura was the real villain sometimes because Corrin does bad things and feels horrible, and then Azura was like “no no hush it’s okay, you’re the chosen one”, leading the unwitting Corrin down an unnecessary path of destruction because she wanted to end things her way. I think this was the part where I realized that there was so much wasted potential in Conquest, hence why i started writing this AU.

The plot suffers from the sheer lack of interaction with the setting. Granted, this is a game of entirely strategy maps and no freely exploring wherever you want, but I think it’s feasible to give some more facts into the world if you know how (or you can leave that job to us fanfic writers, that’s cool too). Azura herself doesn’t interact much with her siblings (it’s a crime that she can’t support Camilla), and the story doesn’t make as strong of an emphasis on the whole family aspect (Birthright and Revelations didn’t do much of that, either) as I thought it’d be. I felt like Conquest by itself really can’t stand on its own like Birthright can because of this.

I felt the final boss Takumi was the way it was because they didn’t want Garon to be the final boss again after Birthright. Like, sure it’s tragic that I had to fight Takumi, but it felt so far removed from the situation, like we beat Garon like it was nothing and Takumi pulls a Quercus Alba like “nope my possession is too powerful to let this game end!” and then we had to fight him on some astral plane (which was cool to look at).

Conquest doesn’t do a good job of showing the consequences. In fact, the ending makes it seem like Corrin got off scot free with Hinoka and Sakura still able to be nice to them. I laughed when Camilla mentioned Azura because those two hardly talked. For the most part, Conquest had my favorite maps, was ambitious but kinda stumbled a lot, and still ends up being my favorite because I have obvious Nohr bias it’s not even funny.

**Revelations**

Ah, the third path, the golden path, true ending, whatever it’s supposed to be called. The maps required some thought to progress through, and I think I had to reset on this path the most. To be honest, I kinda felt like this was one of the corny fanfic crossovers I used to write back in middle school. Conquest had that vibe, too, but Revelations even more so with the whole “almost everyone doesn’t die” although I still pull that off to this day. That also includes scenes that the middle school me would think was epic but then would be an utter embarrassment if I looked back at it as an adult.

By Revelations, I realized that a major part of the problem with Fates was that it didn’t feel all that grounded, like Corrin doesn’t get a chance to think most of the time. The game doesn’t give you many moments to let the consequences of your actions sink in. The entire conflict was started by some dragon dad, and the weapons were the result of some nebulous dragon war that’s constantly brought up all the time in Fire Emblem. The game spent so much time trying to build up to the big fight with mysterious “god” figure you have to find at the end of tons of JRPGs, they didn’t really give time to start thinking about how things will be rebuilt or everyone else in the cast (back to that comment about the theme of family being shoved aside).

And wow, this path really made Corrin turn out to be a complete total idiot, it was kinda insulting to watch. Actually I think the hardest part was just watching all the other family members just dumbly nodding their heads like “hmm yes Corrin is right, don’t worry about nearly dying again we’re here for you”. Even the scene where Corrin deduces Scarlet’s murderer is laughable and plays out like a Detective Conan reveal scene with dramatic finger pointing.

And the ending, as cheesy and somewhat satisfying as it is, got me realizing that Azura is hardly in that ending? Like she’s not in the final cutscene with the family smiling back at Corrin. She does get a moment of time to herself at the lake with Corrin, but she doesn’t join in, like this is the golden route, right? Shouldn’t this be the part where Azura reconciles with both sides of her family as well?

Overall, I felt like there was so much stuff introduced and just didn’t turn out quite the way I expected. It felt like a game that’s very, very rough on the edges and could have needed some more polishing in terms of plot. For all the frustration I had playing Fates, I still love it, flaws and all.

* * *

_#q13: Can you tell us a little more about Robin in your AU? And who the parents of the Awakening Trio are? Thank you!_

_\- Anonymous_

I actually meant to keep that stuff vague since the games kept it open ended about who married who, but a lot of the Awakening related stuff draw influence from my first playthrough of Awakening, where I just went with whatever seemed like fun. And I was considerate of my future self to make a list, so here goes:

  * Cynthia = Sumia + Gaius
  * Owain = Lissa + Lon’qu
  * Morgan = Katya (MC oh lookie another Kate) + Chrom
  * Lucina = Chrom + Katya (MC)
  * Kjelle = Sully + Virion
  * Inigo = Olivia + Frederick
  * Yarne = Panne + Henry
  * Noire = Tharja + Libra
  * Gerome = Cherche + Vaike
  * Brady = Maribelle + Kellam
  * Laurent = Miriel + Donnel
  * Severa = Cordelia + Gregor
  * Nah = Nowi + Stahl
  * And poor Ricken was single (sorry it was either him or Stahl)



Yeah, I’m pretty shallow when it came to pairing people in Awakening. A lot of times I just paired up whoever met each other first. Which is really weird because it was harder for me to casually pair people up in Fates. I guess I was so much more chill playing Awakening than Fates.

Wow, this AU really loves killing off anyone name Kate. It’s like a cursed name, not that I have a grudge against anyone name Kate. This is just weird coincidence. There’s actually another name I dislike, but I won’t ever tell bc that’s personal.

* * *

_#q14: Can you give any advice to someone wanting to write a grand scale AU in the same vein as yours?_

_\- Anonymous_

Thank you for asking! There’s a lot of advice I would give people, but I think it boils down mainly to time management and be okay with being unconventional.

  1. **Organize a Notebook** \- For virtually every big AU I’ve written up, I make a Section Group or a full OneNote Notebook to keep a list of all sorts of things, like Character biographies, Timelines, Script drafts, and research. It’s easy to type up stuff in it, I can organize Sections to smaller sections, and I can access it anywhere, anytime, in case I do get an idea. The only disadvantage is that I don’t a strong instant spellcheck when I write script drafts. There’s other similar software that’s free for this stuff like Evernote, or just organize a really well put together folder system.
  2. **Make a timeline** \- The only thing I do bother to put together fully before starting is a basic timeline, because that guarantees that I have something to work off of along the way, and I don’t just putter off and lose direction. I need to know how it begins and ends first, and some of the key events that must happen to bring the conclusion I desire.
  3. **Do it out of order** \- You’ve seen it before. You go on AO3, find a really cool fic with an interesting premise, but it’s only like 5-6 chapters before the story ends prematurely or isn’t updated at all. So, to make sure you don’t run out of ideas and lose motivation, just post your work out of order. But wouldn’t that ruin the suspense, you ask? Yeah, are you going to potentially put out like a few hundred chapters within a year, in chronological order? No, probably not. I usually start by coming up with a few scenes that I really want to happen, and then the rest of the work is me stringing it together. When I get tired about writing about one section, I just jump to another part of the timeline and write there.
  4. **Don’t be afraid to downgrade, be flexible** \- A lot of big projects I’ve tried before have ended up being abandoned because I’m such a perfectionist that I couldn’t handle the idea of taking a few shortcuts or making the project a little less ambitious. But I’ve learned from that, and I’ve come to understand I have certain limits and now work within those limits. This project was originally going to be a fanfic for both Conquest, Revelations, and Birthright, but then I reduced it to exclusively Conquest with a Revelations ending, in script form. If you know you can’t make a huge multi-chaptered fic, fully beta’d, then you could always just do a script, like me. Sure, it may not be as appealing to the casual AO3 visitor, but you’re still putting work out there! There’s nothing stopping you from mixing mediums, too.
  5. **Get Feedback** \- You are not alone! If you’re stuck with something, or you don’t know if something you made makes any sense, you can consult some friends or anyone you’re comfortable talking to about this. I have been blessed to have a great roommate who likes writing stories just as much as I do, so we talk about plot points all the time. I’m more than happy to answer questions about the creative process, and so are the other writers in the community as well! Remember to ask politely and be respectful!
  6. **Writer’s Block? Just Do Something New** \- By new, I mean take a break and look into other stuff. Catch up on that TV show your friends recommended you, or play that video game. Technically, you’re absorbing information all the time, so having fun in other ways is still helpful! Sometimes, I drop by TV Tropes if there’s a plot element that I need defining, and sometimes I do check out the examples to better understand the execution of said plot device.
  7. **Be nice to yourself** \- Big fictional universes would probably be formulated by like a team of people who probably actually do this for a living, so don’t be hard on yourself if you get stuck somewhere. You’re just one person dedicating your own free time to make this. And don’t get too caught up in what your audience thinks if you do take a break. Most of them know real life is hard and that sometimes you need to recharge even from your hobbies.



* * *

_#q15: I gotta say, your AU is so professional, I will say I like it more than fates and I would definitely but the game of Garon during the civil war. Like it annoyed me that corrin had so many servants, but you worked it out, AND you got rid of the unrequited crush Flora had on Jakob. Felicia, I didn't like her character too much, and Lilith I forgot about until she died, so I believe you made a good call. I also love all the dead siblings because once the supports talked about the consort war._

_I was hooked. Since nohr was suppose to be the rougher side it definitely sounded like there’s some dead siblings, but the game never says anything more. even though they’re not in the current timeline you gave them names, answer all our questions, give them original personalities and backstories, more than I can ever hope for. The consorts are also hella cool because everything they did was mostly for power or their kids not the love of garon. This might go on to another ask_

_Yeah I’m gonna just flood your inbox. What you do with the awakening trio gives me more believable answers than that on dlc pack did. I like to believe Severa was Lucina’s right handwoman, Inigo her lover of sort, and owain well her cousin. She goes missing for some reason, and they go to find her. I doubt they would really wanna live in another world that needs saving after their experience back at home. Awakening was my first game then fates so I liked fates but I liked Robin a lot more._

_BUT YOU MAKE ANRI interesting. I know Anri has other marriage options but I really like when corrin marries someone else retainer or the non retainer group. So seeing him and Niles together was just like the ultimate facial clearing my skin. I am a sucker for romance but at the same time I’m like there’s gotta be more AND YOU DO THAT! I loved that you pair selena and camilla together because in their support selena wants to be number 1 and in your au SHE GIVES HER A RING! Thank you for that_

_okay last topic(4now). How you dealt with Hosido and Anri’s bloodline. I felt like how the game makes Anri not Hosidan really destroys the whole bloodline agreement just so the player can marry their sibling. I like how Anri is actually related to sumeragi, I know you changed the scene of how Anri ends in nohr but I don’t remember right now. But he’s related and that’s what I really wanted. Valla is cool, but that’s more Azura’s thing. I also like the polyship instead of an angsty Ikona_

Whoa!! I’m glad my AU has such an impact on you! And I’m glad you mentioned Niles and Anri because the timing is a bit too perfect.

* * *

_#q16: So how exactly do you handle racial-coding? It might seem simple with Nohr = caucasians and Hoshido = Japanese. But Mozu in the AU is stated to be Nohrian, but passing off as Hoshidan. So at what point can they simply pass as one race over another._

_- chii-ura_

Excellent question, which I guess requires a read more cut and further rambling.

**Handling Racial Coding**

You’re quite right that Nohr is coded as European and Hoshido is predominantly coded as Japanese. But since this is fantasy, they’re not strictly Europe and Japan-inspired, so I do try to mix in stuff from outside of the general Western and JRPG fantasy. I’m sure many people would appreciate an inclusive world and cast, and since this is an AU, I have the freedom to allow that. At the same time, I try not to diverge too far so much as I alienate readers who have been mostly comfortable with the given setting of the original. It is important that I do a double check and approach my work again in the perspective of my audience.

So I guess in terms of handling racial coding, I kinda… don’t really think about it. Most of the time, especially when it comes to the OCs, I just find a nice name or I choose appearances and styles if they look nice together. I never really consider the thought that “Oh, I should include this many characters who resemble this kind of specific thing so it’s more inclusive”, more like, “I don’t know what I did, but when their design looks like this, they look really great. Oh wait I got it from here about this thing, so maybe I should build on that.”

Although my greatest weakness in taking this method when I try to diversify the setting is that I have a hard time keeping track of stuff like mannerisms and speech patterns. Most of my fic is very admittedly hacked and mostly single voiced. At worst, there are parts where most everyone speaks the same way, so once in a while you see someone like Claudia speaking too casually or Niles acting too proper. It’s usually a result of me working on small pockets of time so I forget what I’m doing in the middle of it.

**Nohrians In Hoshido**

I assume there are obvious discrepancies in appearance between someone from the west lands and someone from the east lands. But there would be cases that aren’t so cut and dry. I’d say a long while ago when Hoshidan and Nohrian borders weren’t so strict, people freely traveled around or across, so you do have some intermingling of cultures near the borders. Mozu is a descendant of this intermingling, so she does have some physical traits of both Hoshidans and Nohrians. So at a quick glance she could pass off as the odd Hoshidan girl, but she’ll get questions about her Nohrian features if anyone stares at her long enough. She was very young when she came to Hoshido, so she doesn’t have as big of a struggle of adjusting to Hoshidan culture, but she tries to keep reminders of her Nohrian heritage wherever she can.

The only reasons why she and her family were still alive was because her village was very secluded and they lived in the Ishiyama domain. Luckily for them, the Ishiyamas don’t do very strict border patrol checks like the Amachis do. They don’t let anyone across the border in either direction, but they don’t actively go hunting for Nohrian refugees in the deep forests like the Amachi. Hoshidans who do live in these villages don’t really care, or they’ve gotten really used to it because of their shared hardships.

Even if they aren’t treated as harshly, Nohrians who have been stranded in Hoshido still face harassment in the Ishiyama domain if they make trips to the big cities. So most times Nohrians in Hoshidan cities try to make themselves small and not noticeable, like they don’t ever speak Nohrian in big public spaces, and they dress completely Hoshidan style, never wearing anything that connects them to their home country except for many a few pieces of jewelry. The importance of the village as a private space would make Mozu’s reminiscing of her village in various supports some extra depth, as any Nohrian traditions are kept behind closed doors or back in their villages where no one bothers them. Some do resent this kind of life, but they also feel that they have it far better than anyone of their kind who’ve settled in the Amachi domain, so they don’t protest about it.

Mozu usually brings clothes that can obscure her face a bit when she goes out to the city and sometimes uses different names, just in case. Some of her fellow Nohrian refugees aren’t so lucky, and they often can’t make these trips out of fear they’d get found out, so in her village, city trips were pretty big and rare occassions because only some people who could safely pass as Hoshidan or were Hoshidan went.

* * *

_#q17: Hey i just read your fe fates fic and i really really like your AU and how much effort you put in it???? I always had thoughts of doing this myself and reading your work makes me super inspired???? You put so much effort and it should be noticed...._

_\- Anonymous_

Thank you for your kind words! When I first started writing this, I didn’t expect much of an audience because I don’t update regularly enough and am really shy on message boards, so it’s touching when I get kudos or nice comments!

* * *

_#q18: Would you be alright with people making ocs based off the houses/clans of your AU if it's based off of it?_

_\- Anonymous_

I am welcome to other people creating OCs and deriving works out of mine, but please keep in mind that they will considered fan works and not canon to the AU. Regardless, I’m always happy to see people be inspired by my work to make their own works based off of my AU, so if you do make any OCs and headcanons, feel free to share them if you’re comfortable.

* * *

_Would you every consider taking OCs and putting them into the story? Or maybe allow people to create OCs based around this AU?_

_\- Anonymous_

Unfortunately, no, I won’t be considering taking other people’s OCs and putting them into the story, largely because of the possible imbalance and major reworks to the plot if I allowed that. The fact that I’ve added OCs of my own into this AU makes writing the story difficult already.

However, I do allow people to make their own works based around this AU, so that includes creating their own OCs if they wish. Since this expanded Quirinus is now home to all sorts of relations and families, there’s a lot of potential for people to take the idea and run with it. The only caveat to that is that they’d be considered fan works to this AU, and are probably not going to be considered canon.

* * *

_#q19: Hi! Love this blog, I've seen a couple of attempts to salvage the story/world of Fates but yours is definitely the most detailed and comprehensive. I was trying to come up with some world-building/headcanons of my own, and I was wondering how you came up with the names for the different noble houses of both kingdoms. Any particular process or historical inspiration?_

_- oliven713_

When I came up with names for the Nohrian noble houses, I initially labeled them by letters as placeholders. When the time came around for me to choose a name, I honestly went looking for names that started with the letter of their label, at least for Albrand, Durand, and Buelen.

I also took into account the general attitude of each house, and looked around primarily Behind the Name with keywords. For example, House A was going to be really strong and really proud about defending the kingdom, so I looked around for anything like “red, fire, sword” and found “Adalbrand”. Then I cut up the name a little and simplified it to “Albrand”. This applies to the first names of the different members of each house and their family banners as well.

For the most part, I tried to choose names with Germanic, Roman, or Latin roots, but as writing went on, I started giving each house a minor touch of other European backgrounds according to their region. The Lovells having strongly English names (Ainsley, Barnaby, Claudia, Dennis, Silas). The Minetts have a mix of French and Arabic and more because they were originally from Nestra, a very diverse country (Aurele, Josette, Dominique, Nadia, Camilla, Seraphina).

There wasn’t much major historical influence for these houses in particular unless I said so in the bios for each house, but I made sure that each member of their house somewhat exemplifies the house’s meaning. Silas and Dennis, are very loyal people. Julius, Seraphina and Camilla are willing to do underhanded things out of love (Nelly is an outlier in this regard). House Lorenzen has a less unified identity in that they’re simply royalty, and each of the royal children carry some aspect of the houses their mothers come from.

As for the Hoshidan noble clans, I was very particular about the characters that make up a name, since my own knowledge of Japanese is very limited, and I didn’t want to cobble some names together. After that, the process was somewhat about the same from there. The major noble clans (Amachi, Chiura, Inazuma, Ishiyama, Hiromi), I tried to avoid using famous Japanese clan names mostly to help give these fictional clans their own identity. Other clans like the ninjas (Ishitani, Hattori), and Yasunori (named after Kato Yasunori), are more straightforward.

* * *

_#q20: Ever think about making a rom hack of this AU?_

_- Anonymous_

Unfortunately not, since writing the story for this AU is already a lot of work. Just writing scripts and planning the scenarios already is a struggle for me on top of school work. My primary purpose in making this AU was to get the story out rather than make a game of my own. So, the next best thing is probably these scripts with music cues and stage directions.

And just as this will get posted, turns out I have to learn game development for a class at uni. I guess that’s one step closer to the possibility of learning to make something similar to a rom hack. Still though, no.


	26. Dead Royals Q&A Part 5

  1. How did the other siblings react to Rose's death?
  2. What are the dead royals' birthdays? Are they meaningful?
  3. Can Xander take more than one consort? Any extra children?
  4. Why did Jerry stop hating Diantha?
  5. Why did Seraphina see Anri as a threat?
  6. Does Elise know about her older siblings, even the deceased ones?
  7. Do people think the Nohrian royal family have a curse because of how many of them died?
  8. How did Damian's death change Camilla?
  9. Liselotte's baking is to "die" for!
  10. When has Diantha used Brynhildr?
  11. How do Rose and Leo interact?
  12. What were Xan, Dia, and Mars like as kids?
  13. How do Camilla and Damian feel as substitutes for Diantha and Marius?
  14. Did Irma or Rose died first, and what was their reaction to each other's death?
  15. If Diantha lived, would Xander abdicate the crown to her? Would Xander still want more than one consort after the whole conflict under his father's rule?
  16. What was the inspiration behind Roswitha's design?
  17. If Rose got to Camilla before Camilla could axe, how would that change the course of history?
  18. Do the royal siblings talk about their deceased siblings or visit their graves?
  19. Is Xander allowed to marry before he is named king? Can he have more than one consort before being king?
  20. How would Liselotte and Sakura's first meeting go had Liselotte lived?



* * *

 

_#q1: When Rose died what were the siblings reactions? Did they all secretly know it was Camilla?_

_\- Anonymous_

Expanding on my original answer about who knew Camilla killed Rose, Xander and Jeremiah put two and two together pretty easily. They’ve lived through the entire blood feud ordeal to know what likely happened and why. Rose was not popular with these two to begin with, so they don’t bother Camilla about it but never call out Rose now that she’s dead. This did only heightened both boys’ inability to trust their family.  
Damian, of course, knows all the details, and he pretty much is more focused on helping Camilla recover from the ordeal than anything. He’s not stranger to killing his relatives on behalf of Seraphina.

Leo was too young at the time, but later on he’s done investigations on his own (that was probably one of the first assignments he gave to Niles to solve) and found the truth. This discovery is disheartening to learn, but he doesn’t think any less of Camilla for it. To be honest, he’s not all that different either. Poor kid had to carry out a public execution, not just some sneaky assassination. Camilla is aware that Leo is a smart kid, so she expected him to find out about it sooner or later, although they have not confronted each other about it, which does muck things up when Leo is compelled to investigate Diantha’s murder as well.

Anri and Elise either don’t know or are uncertain about the situation. Anri isn’t dumb enough to deny that it ever happened. Against Camilla and Xander’s wishes, Damian rarely sugarcoats stories about his past (and by extension the rest of the family history), and Leo often shares details of his findings to him and often uses him as a sounding board for ideas whenever his retainers aren’t around. Even though he knows a lot about what happened in the family, Anri isn’t about to confront Camilla upfront to confirm such a sensitive topic, since he doesn’t want to upset her. Unlike Leo, he’s more inclined to just stay quiet, but he doesn’t distrust Camilla.

Elise is mostly unaware of these matters and is likely more inclined to believe the cover up story for a few more years. She’s not aware that Leo executed Jeremiah yet, either. That’s going to hurt.

* * *

 

_#q2: If you haven't mentioned it before, the dead royals' birthdays? And if there are any significant meanings behind it?_

_\- Anonymous_

I actually haven’t had any birthdays planned out, but you know what, let’s do it. Some of these dates are personal to me, or just don’t make any sense. Most of the dates don’t bear relevance to the timeline itself.

Xander - October 27 - Canonical.

  * So, four more days until Halloween



Diantha & Marius - February 2

  * I kinda ran out of things I wanted to commemorate.
  * I guess I’ll just mark the release date for FE Heroes. I don’t think I’ll be able to do much to commemorate the day since I’m busy with school all the damn time.



Jeremiah - October 23 - Mole Day

  * 6.02 * 10^23 = one of my favorite numbers, when I’m not doing horribly huge calculations for exams.
  * Jerry probably hates that his birthday is so close to Xander’s



Damian - December 10 - Human Rights Day

  * As Wikipedia says, “The adoption and proclamation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights”
  * It’s a pretty important day to me, since one of my favorite history teachers made a big deal about observing it



Thomas - July 30 - Neville Longbottom’s birthday

  * They’re somewhat similar in personality, and I have to put my love for that book series somewhere in this AU
  * Probably would be in Hufflepuff like me.



Roswitha - August 13 - The day of the opening ceremony of the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens

  * It was the first live Olympics I ever watched, and I remember being so fascinated with the opening ceremony
  * Now that I know more about Greek myth and history, I greatly appreciate the Athens ceremony even more
  * Opening and closing ceremonies are one of my favorite things to watch when these events come around
  * Given how athletic Rose is, it felt fitting.



Camilla - November 30 - Canonical.

  * I keep remembering this day as the deadline for college admissions
  * OR
  * The approximate day I first got my first DS, like the big, old, silver, clunky one that got released in 2004
  * My first DS was my first foray into video gaming that wasn’t edutainment or kids’ PC gaming. Oh, fun times.



Liselotte - October 5 - Uh… the air date for Code Geass?

  * I honestly don’t know.
  * I mean, I guess that’s the reason, since Code Geass is such a strong influence on this AU.



Azura - March 3 - Canonical.

  * Fun fact: March 3rd is Hinamatsuri (Doll’s Day or Girl’s Day), a special day in Japan



Anri - May 5 - Release Date for North American release of Devil Survivor 2: Record Breaker

  * I also love the Shin Megami Tensei franchise a lot, but Devil Survivor 2 is one of the few actual SMT games I actually own and didn’t have to watch an Let’s Play for.
  * It’s one of my all time favorites, and it’s a really nice blend between Fire Emblem’s gameplay and SMT’s law/neutral/chaos themes. A lot of stuff from that game is a major influence on a lot of things I write, especially for characters.
  * Also I loved all the sarcastic and goofy responses the protagonist could give. Probably my favorite silent protagonist.
  * It’s almost no wonder that Anri bears such an uncanny resemblance to Hibiki Kuze/Hiro Kageyama (I realized this months later while I was writing, and it was a bit mind blowing to realize)



Arisa - March 28 - The approximate day I started Fire Emblem Fates

  * A bit later than release day because I sent it to my parents’ house and not my apartment so I had to wait until spring break to get home and play it
  * Coincidentally I played Birthright first, so it’s a nice touch to the choice of the day.



Emil/Mila - November 10 - Release Date for Pokemon Rangers: Shadows of Almia

  * Probably the first game that ever motivated me to join a fan community and write fanfiction, which I acknowledge is an fairly major part of my life.
  * Also how I got into Pokemon in the first place. Interesting beginnings.



Leo - June 30 - Canonical.

  * Aw he’s a summer baby.
  * Ooh, it’s Asteroid Day!



Elise - March 19 - Canonical.

  * Probably the closest to my own birthday (Arisa’s is fairly close, too).
  * So far, I don’t share my birthday with any favorite fictional characters
  * I’m hoping someday I’ll find that character.



* * *

 

_#q3: Although Xander has the option will he likely be taking more than one or two consorts? Just wondering because I'd be interested to see who Siegbert's birth mother would eventually be. (And maybe even OC children for the others?)_

_\- Anonymous_

To be honest, Xander’s only going to take two consorts in the actual text, since I don’t want to overwhelm the plot with that entire subplot by having him marry all his options. So technically that means Siegbert, and an OC child. Was playing around with names a month ago, and I’ve decided on Ornella, which is rather fitting that Xander would name his daughter after some sort of plant in reference to his late sister Diantha and something grand befitting of the Lorenzen name.

I’ll still write the support conversations from C to A+, and the potential consorts all have to get along at some point or the another in the actual plot otherwise their friendship wouldn’t hold water.

* * *

 

_#q4: Why did Jerry stop hating Dia?_

_\- Anonymous_

They spent some time together during the war, so there was a time Jerry was being a dummy and got hurt, and Dia had to save his ass. She fussed over him like she would with the now deceased Mars, and because of that, Jerry realized he didn’t hate Dia that much. That didn’t change his opinion of Xander, however.

* * *

 

_$#q5: When you say camilla had to choose between rose or her younger siblings, did Seraphina have her eyes on Anri? Because she had an alliance with Marianne so she wouldn't kill Leo I hope and Yvonne was also on good terms with Seraphina so she wouldn't kill Elise. Was Anri that much of a threat?_

_\- Anonymous_

At that point in time, Seraphina was the most powerful consort living at the time. Anri didn’t have any outside ties to anyone in the family aside from his siblings and the king, so he was very susceptible to harm. Given his nebulous origins (Gunter discovered him in a dungeon in a horrible state and then the king immediately declared him his son), Seraphina has much reason to be wary of him.

Yvonne’s alliance with Seraphina is very one sided (especially now that she cannot keep Irma at bay after Annaliese’s death), so Elise was also considered a target.

Seraphina did also put Camilla in a hard spot, since if Anri and Elise taking the fall for Roswitha would spell harsh reactions from Xander and Damian, who held closer ties to the younger siblings in the family than Rose. It seemed an easy choice for Seraphina, but not so much for Camilla.

* * *

 

_#q6: Being the youngest, and arguably the most out of the loop, Elise didn't get to know many of her older siblings. Does she ever do research on them or ask questions about their lives? What did she think of them? I imagine she becomes a lot like Diantha as she ages._

_\- Anonymous_

Elise does know about her older siblings, but she gets most of her information from her siblings, who often water down the events for her. Her older siblings often debate about how much she should know and when she would be allowed to know the entire truth.

For the most part, by the time Fates begins, Elise is well aware that life in the castle was rather brutal before she was born. She doesn’t know that the infighting still continued a little while she was alive (Jerry, Diantha, and Rose died in her lifetime). She really does adore Jerry and Rose, so she has good opinion of them (she doesn’t know the experiments Jerry took part in and Rose’s conquests).

Elise is aware of the fates of Liselotte and Thomas. Damian warned the younger siblings to never take any pride in the Massacre of Durand. She shares Damian and Camilla’s contempt for Theresa, but doesn’t know all the atrocities the consort has committed. She feels sorry for Liselotte and Thomas, especially from hearing Damian and Rose’s accounts of them.

Since Danica’s execution is often a big topic, she does know about Emil/Mila, and expresses sadness that the child didn’t live long enough to grow up. Mars and Dia seem like wonderful people according to all of ther siblings, so she doesn’t have anything against them. As for Anri’s past, Elise subscribes to the same belief that he lost his memory after falling in a bramble patch and that his mother Eirene was one of the casualties in Theresa’s purge of bastard children.

You’re right, Diantha was modeled after a grown-up Elise. In fact, the reason why Xander gets along so well with Elise is because she reminds him of Diantha so much. Elise is very happy that she has all the family support she receives, and that makes everyone else just as happy. 

* * *

 

_#q7: A lot of the royal children of Nohr died right, maybe the people of Nohr thought the kingdom or royal family was under some sort of curse? I dunno just a thought._

_\- Anonymous_

No, not really, since everyone knows that a lot of the royal children’s deaths were a result of the blood feud which has lasted for quite a while. The terror that is Theresa of Durand is rather well known even in cities farther away from the capital (Theresa’s bastard hunting was a nationwide thing). The only death that remains ambiguous is Diantha’s. Even then, the public was given the statement that she was killed en route to Claudia’s and may or may not have wrongfully attributed the crime to Seraphina.

* * *

 

_#q8: Since they were raised together and were close, how did Camilla react after Damian's death? Did it change her in any ways?_

_\- Anonymous_

Camilla was so very devastated, since this man was one of her favorite brothers. She spoke very little and spent many nights alone. Mix that with Nelly leaving soon after the funeral and estrangement from her mother, and Camilla felt very much alone for a while, until Elise and Anri made their way back into her life. Although she was already fairly close to the rest of her family before, the younger surviving siblings especially, Camilla got around to interacting a whole lot more with Xander than she ever would with Damian around. She also resorted to binge drinking in secret until her siblings found out about it, and they enlisted her retainers and cousins to help Camilla stop drinking so much.

All in all, it was a rather heartbreaking experience for her, so the thought losing any of her other surviving siblings, all of whom she loves dearly, would probably be the final straw for her. If the canonical events of Birthright did play out, it’s no wonder she would be so hostile to Hinoka second to Hinoka trying to get her lost sibling back. I don’t think she’d even want to come to Hoshido to see Ryoma’s coronation, and she really would have second thoughts about taking the throne after losing at minimum four siblings.

* * *

 

_#q9: I was reading your ranking of how well each royal cooks, and my only thought was "gee, Lisolette's baking must be to die for!"_

_\- Anonymous_

Oh, it sure is… Azura’s recommendation indeed.

* * *

 

 _#q10:_ _Are there any specific times Diantha had to use Brynhildr?_

_\- Anonymous_

Diantha has her share of battles, so she has used Brynhildr for combat purposes the way it’s technically intended to be used. She can use Brynhildr for defensive purposes as well if Dragon Veins are too exhausting to use.

* * *

 

_#q11: What was Roswitha's relationship with Leo like?_

_\- Anonymous_

Leo was hardly much of the talkative kid, unless it was about some subject he really, really liked, so Rose did have some difficulty finding common ground with him at first. When Rose realized that Leo was more of the bookish type, they’d taken to reading books together, although most times she wasn’t always able to keep up with Leo’s extended discussions about the books themselves. As a master swordswoman, she has encouraged Leo to try using the sword more, and had tutored him a little on it, spurring Leo’s desire to be a Dark Knight than a Sorceror, but she didn’t live long enough to help him complete his education in swordplay.

Leo didn’t come to her for emotional support very much because he knew she had her own problems and didn’t want to bother her with his own, but they both were fairly comfortable with sitting together for long periods of time. As a very, very young child, he wasn’t particularly sure how to help Rose, so he sometimes feel guilty that he didn’t give enough in return for what she gave him. Two years prior to the beginning of Fates, Leo did a private investigation to find the truth, laying the grounds for him to relaunch a similar operation in regards to Diantha’s death.

* * *

 

_#q12: What were Xan, Dia, and Mars like as small children?_

_\- Anonymous_

Xander was a fairly mild-mannered kid who didn’t get into much trouble, but he had a fairly hard time speaking up whenever he needed to and often had Dia or Mars speak for him. Marius is a rather typical troublemaker and wandered around the wrong places of the castle, which often gave many of his caretakers one too many heart attacks. Diantha often reported Marius’s misadventures to Gunter a lot, and often acted like the most reasonable one of the three if Xander didn’t want to step up, which she encouraged more on the basis that Xander was the eldest.

Despite all their differences and mishaps, the three of them were fairly studious kids who got into their respective fields pretty early. Despite all his grumbling, Marius is still just as well read as his sister and brother and often enjoyed surprising others who thought he was just dumb muscle.

* * *

 

_#q13: How did Camilla and Damian feel that they were being treated as substitute of Dia and Mars?_

_\- Anonymous_

In regards to Xander losing the twins?

Damian is fairly okay with being treated as a substitute, since he doesn’t see Xander’s expectations of him he can usually meet fairly well. He so firmly believes in making sure Xander and the others doesn’t disconnect from the younger siblings, he’s fairly willing to give up a few things to be more like Marius. And he looked up to Marius to begin with, so it’s almost easy for him. He still can get upset about things, but he’s more conscious about reining in his anger to not scare anyone.

Camilla, on the other hand, makes it very clear to Xander that she cannot be Diantha for Xander. As much as she is more supportive and loving to her entire family now, she’s well aware she has her own problems to sort out sometimes and can’t be available for him all the time. Sometimes she does take precedence over the younger siblings over Xander, since she’s aware he’s a grown man who can decide for himself.

In the eyes of other people, Damian’s development is a significant improvement to his teenage years. When he was still on his vengeance streak, he was very defensive and volatile when dealing with people, given from his zero tolerance for anyone related to the Durands and really good track record for holding grudges. He used to justify his asshole teenage behavior as something he needs to survive against Theresa’s equally awful attitude to him, and that had alienated a lot of people in his life. Now that he has taken more of the cheer and optimism some say come from Marius, he’s much more approachable to be around and talking to him isn’t like walking on eggshells. Damian also enjoys this change as well, because he doesn’t like scaring people unless war is involved.

Camilla has seemed very courteous as a kid, since it was behavior that Seraphina enforced in her, but she has always been capable of being spiteful. While Damian had been the visibly angry one in the pair, Camilla has been fairly good at hiding her anger to those not familiar with her expressions. She also is fiercely protective of her family like Damian, but it truly takes a lot for her to really reach the same level of rage and aggression Damian has been capable of. Some people may like her over Diantha since Camilla can be pretty direct and not as wishy washy. Camilla has never really tried to be like Diantha and does things her own way, so it’s very difficult to pin her as a substitute for Diantha.

* * *

 

_#q14: Did Irma or Rose died first and how did they react to the other's death?_

_\- Anonymous_

Irma died first. While Rose did grieve, she didn’t get much support. One would think the first person to help her was Loren, but he also died around the same time. Camilla did reach out to her later, which is probably why Rose was so eager to latch onto her a bit.

* * *

 

_#q15: Would Diantha still be alive, would Marx Want to Pass the Crown to her? Marx-Xander always seems he didn't want to be the heir but that is his duty. Another One is sure Marx-Xander Would try to get Concubines? After his own father debable he might even not think about it...._

_- Anonymous_

Even if Dia was still alive, Xander still wouldn’t abdicate the throne just because he doesn’t feel like being heir. His father and his sibling’s deaths aren’t the only factors that keep him in line. In fact, Diantha would refuse to take the throne in Xander’s place if he asked her to. He is also being watched by the other noble families and army generals who serve, which this AU serves to place more emphasis on than in canon. If he were to escape his responsibility as crown prince, that would reflect badly on him and the rest of his family, even if Diantha is just as viable of an heir. Even if Xander is reluctant about his position because he’s been forced to do things he doesn’t like, he wishes to use his privilege as the crown prince to change this.

Xander does not have concubines in this AU. He can have multiple consorts (up to six) who all have equal standing and authority, so there is no singular queen. His father’s history with consorts would not deter him from siring multiple heirs. He and his consorts would have a much better rapport with each other than the previous generation because they learned from the previous generation’s mistakes. The Nohrian family’s collective arc is to undo the damage the previous generation had done, and to make sure that history is not repeated.

* * *

 

_#q16: The more I look at Roswitha, the more she reminds me of Saber/Artoria Pendragon from the Fate Series, please tell me that was intentional on your part XD._

_\- Anonymous_

Oh, wow, they are rather similar. Unfortunately, Rose wasn’t based off Saber when I designed her. I actually had Princess Anna from Frozen. I had written an old AU for Frozen where Anna went outside and went on military campaigns with that duke guy. Roswitha’s personality is based strongly off of that.

And then i started modeling her appearance after Princess Asseylum Vers Allusia’s hairstyle with two side bangs instead of just one. Rose originally was going to have one side bang, but that would be too similar.

* * *

 

_#q17: So theoretically, if Roswitha had gotten to Camilla before Camilla could axe her and we were on the Arisa side of Fates, would Roswitha have kept the crown or would she have passed it down to Leo? And would she have been a good queen?_

_\- Anonymous_

I guess if it were Rose instead of Camilla, and Xander and Elise died, she’d keep the crown. By then, she would have learned from her mistakes back when she was younger and keep Leo around as a close advisor. They’d get along too, so it wouldn’t be so bad.

* * *

 

_#q18: Does the royal ever talk of their passed siblings, or visit their graves...or wherever they are?_

_\- Anonymous_

Well, most of them are comfortable with talking about Damian and Jeremiah the most, the former because he’s so close to them, and the latter because he wouldn’t have given a crap about what they said about him, so no hard feelings there. Diantha and Marius are a touchy subject, especially for Xander, and it’s expounded by the fact that Anri, Elise, and Leo didn’t know the twins very well. Liselotte and Thomas are more or less a forbidden topic because they’re victims of the Massacre of Durand, and no one likes to talk about the Durands these days.

As for paying respects, everyone pays respects to the twins and Damian’s grave pretty regularly. Everyone but Camilla is comfortable with visiting Rose’s grave, especially Leo since they were the closest. Only Anri and Elise ever seem to bother visiting Jeremiah’s grave because they’re the only ones who got along with him the most. Thomas and Liselotte were in unmarked graves in the Forest of the Forlorn, and Mila is more or less unacknowledged.

* * *

 

_#q19: I don't know how to word this, but is Xander allowed to get a consort before he's named king, and is he allows to take in a second (or more) consort(s) before being name king?_

_\- Anonymous_

In terms of the law, a Nohrian crown prince may marry before he is crowned king, and the consort will be addressed as Princess Consort until coronation. But the crown prince is limited to marrying only once until his coronation. He can have more consorts after he is named king.

This makes marriage very tricky, since there is some significance to being the first consort of a Nohrian King since there is a potential to have years of experience and influence ahead of one’s other fellow consorts. This is why Theresa was not happy with Katerina jumping the gun and becoming the first consort.

Gameplay-wise, I don’t think there should be any significance over the order in which Xander marries. I’d say perhaps that the mother of which of his children depends on the order in which he marries, but that’s not really fair because what if he doesn’t marry all of his options and not all of his consorts are inclined to want children.

* * *

 

_#q20: What would a first meeting between Liselotte and Sakura be like, had Liselotte lived?_

_\- Anonymous_

Well, Liselotte is about the same age as Hinoka in years, so she’s definitely older than Sakura. Liselotte is pretty good at keeping up appearances, so for a first meeting, it would go pretty well, but fairly uneventful. If any of Liselotte’s true personality arises, it would occur around the third or fourth meeting.


	27. Awakening Trio & Future Kids Q&A

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Answered questions about the new origins of the Awakening trio in the world of Fates, and the children units.

  1. How old is Soleil in this AU? What is Laslow up to in this AU?
  2. If Laslow's wife is no longer around, is he single and ready to mingle?
  3. Who was Laslow's first wife? Do Selena and Odin have spouses?
  4. Is Laslow's first wife Lucina?
  5. Who was Sydney's daughter, Soleil's caretaker?
  6. How did Camilla and Selena get together?
  7. What do you feel about the Deeprealms mechanic in the original game?
  8. What is your opinion on the child mechanic in Fates?
  9. Are any second generation characters who will show up in this AU?
  10. How many consorts will Xander take?
  11. Who is Ornella, Xander's other daughter you made up?
  12. Did Odin react negatively to Leo choosing Niles as his retainer?



* * *

 

_#q1: hi there! i've been a fan of this au since yr first picture of the dead royals, and i'm really thrilled to see it taking shape across all the various mediums yr using! i happened to notice that on the ao3 cast list, laslow is billed as soleil's father, when no other kids are mentioned thusfar. is she a younger child here, since there are no babyrealms, or has her role been reworked into laslow's apprentice or s/t w/a parental dynamic? :o_

_\- miyaio_

Laslow is still Soleil’s father, no doubt about it, and she’s only about 6 or 7 in the present time. Laslow has tried to look for her mother but after settling in Nohr has given up, opting to not drag his daughter around the world just to find his long departed wife. He doesn’t cope well with losing Soleil’s mother and has fallen back to his old habits, much to everyone’s concern.

* * *

 

_#q2: Ok but even if Laslow wife is no longer here ia the a possible for him to find another love interest??_

_\- Anonymous_

Laslow has searched through all of Ylisse, Plegia, and Ferox, and tried to go overseas for several years and still failed, so it’s either because she really doesn’t want to be found (highly unlikely) or she’s dead (i’d cry if she was brought back as a shade if the crew ever makes it to Valla). Laslow’s been told he should move on, so he has, although his methods for doing so aren’t very good.

* * *

 

_#q3: Are you willing to share who Laslow's wife is/was? And if Selena and Odin have any significant others?_

_\- Anonymous_

Probably the hint will be Soleil’s hair, whenever she shows up, and it would be a hint to certain events in Awakening.

Once upon a time, Odin was written to have lost his wife in a battle between Nohr and Hoshido (that would have been Sydney), but that was too cruel even for me, and I made Sydney unrelated to Odin in the end. So, Odin’s single and went along with Laslow’s idea to go look for Soleil’s mom.

Selena traveled with Odin and Laslow on impulse, but was good friends with Laslow’s wife, so she’s motivated to help him in that regard. She currently has a significant other who’s alive and well. She isn’t too keen on returning to Ylisse because she and the others failed to find Laslow’s wife and are too ashamed to return and break the news.

* * *

 

_#q4: if we can play ace detective on this matter too, is las' wife lucina? im waaay too curious and the only other person i thought of was robin, but i feel like that'd be kinda weird_

_\- Anonymous_

Yeah, I rewrote Soleil and Laslow’s background with Lucina in mind. It wasn’t meant to be a secret, so good deduction.

My decision to do that was based on my own experiences with Awakening. It’s a really nice connection among the three, since they all knew Lucina and have various kinds of connections to her. Arguably, the entire group should be there, but I’d chalk it off as everyone splitting up into groups to walk the earth for her, and coming up with nothing. Some didn’t go travelling and have stayed back in Ylisse for news, although the chances of that ever happening are slim.

I don’t intend to go into much detail on how Lucina disappeared after Soleil was born, but she’s gone for good, and Laslow probably won’t ever find her. He’s done his waiting and has come to accept the truth. Now that I think about it, seeing Amiibo Lucina must be torture for him and his buddies, now that they’re not dimension hopping.

As for inspiration, yeah, maybe I was thinking back on that one time I saw that episode of Aoi Bungaku where they adapted Run, Melos! in two episodes and had me tearing up a little. It’s a nice short story, but a sad one. If I remember correctly, the quote went like this:

_“Is it painful to be the person who waits? Or is it more painful to be the person who makes others wait? Either way, there’s no need to wait anymore. That’s what is most painful.”_

_\- Osamu Dazai_

* * *

 

_#q5: Who was Sydney's daughter? You mentioned her family in one of the noble house profiles, and I'm genuinely curious._

_\- Anonymous_

Originally, Sydney’s daughter was supposed to be Ophelia (Cynthia was meant to have been included in this AU), but I’ve changed her to someone else. Sydney is a much older woman (she was around Faye’s age), and her daughter (which I’ve just decided now that her name is Delphine) lives in Janholt and currently takes care of Laslow’s daughter while he’s away.

* * *

 

_#q6: Can you expand more in Camilla and Selena's relationship and how they blossomed_

_\- Anonymous_

Of course.

I’ve always sorta intended to write up a brand new support conversation for them about this, but I don’t know if I have the time or stamina (haha look at me, barely past my teens and I feel like an old woman).

I think we can establish that Selena had come to Nohr with her buddies Odin and Laslow, mostly because they wanted to solve Lucina’s disappearing act. They had split up with their friends to search all corners of the planet for Lucina. Lucina’s parents had been worried that she had gone off somewhere, and they had promised to bring her home. But it’s been a few years since they made that promise, and some of them are ready to give up and accept that she was dead. Laslow has begun to worry that he cannot drag his daughter around the globe, and even Selena was getting tired. But on Odin’s urging, they gave the idea one more chance. If they couldn’t find Lucina in Nohr, or any lead, they would go home.

Selena, then Severa, had managed to get all three of them employed by the Minetts in Nestra, where they had sailed in. The three of them were well known among the Minett household as skilled swordsmen, catching Aurele’s attention. They were quickly promoted to higher ranked bodyguards, a perfect position to ask for favors. Odin would later land a position as a novice mage in Morbank, hoping to glean answers from some of Nohr’s precious archives, while Selena had the luck of becoming Camilla’s retainer, and Laslow simply followed what his friends did, and was employed by the crown prince. His will to find Lucina had begun to wane, but he gladly welcomed his new assignment since this would mean a better roof for Soleil. At some point, Selena would notice Laslow’s dwindling resolve and take issue with it, but that’s another story.

Working for Camilla wasn’t exactly hard, although Selena was always put off by Camilla’s willingness to help her whenever she can. Considering that Selena was recommended by Camilla’s uncle, Camilla was most inclined to trust her easily. What was just small talk at work or not at work for one month became something more close when things got hard for both of them. Camilla was forced to kill Roswitha, her sister, and had begun contemplating her loyalties to her mother, a thing I’ve discussed before. Selena had a problem of her own as well.

The Awakening trio were forced to conclude that Lucina really was never going to be found and have considered just settling down. Laslow had frankly gotten tired of all the moving about and worried that all the moving would be detrimental for his daughter Soleil. Odin, ever the more hopeful, was dismayed by his friends’ lack of support to continue, but he refused to leave Leo by himself, especially after the triple blow of killing Jerry, his mother’s disappearance, and Horatio’s retreat. Selena felt like more of a failure than she ever had before, and was afraid to go back to her homeland to tell the truth to the king and queen about the grave news. She couldn’t even bear to see her mother and father again, either.

They both didn’t really share their thoughts out of fear of overstepping their boundaries as servant and lady, but that all went away when Selena caught her lady attempting to drink herself under the table in private and confronted her about it. Emotions ran high, but they came out of that discussion feeling like they understand each other better than ever before. And the rest is history. Their marriage may seem rather uneventful, but it’s probably a good thing it wasn’t so wildly emotional and dramatic. The two of them deserve that much.

* * *

 

_#q7: When you first heard about the idea of the Deeprealms, what was your thought on them?_

_\- Anonymous_

Easy-Bake Ovens, starting at $39.99!

Okay, okay, I’m kidding. Serious talk.

I don’t think my opinion on them is that much different than a lot of people’s opinions, although I’m not all that angry about them. They’re befuddling from a storytelling perspective, since there doesn’t seem to be any other purpose for Deeprealms aside from allowing children units and sidestepping a repeat of Awakening’s justification for them being marriageable. To be honest, I’m kinda tired of time travel and multiverse elements that have been popping up these days, but a lot of other people seem to like that stuff, so I won’t complain too much about that.

The most off putting part to me was how the Deeprealms let the kids grow up so fast while their parents are still young and voluntarily putting their kids there. I know this sorta tries to extend the properties of Astral Realms running on a different time relative to the main world. All this time difference must be really disorienting to the characterse themselves, like no wonder the father units have struggle to be fathers to their kids when they’ve only dealt with having grown-ass kids for less than a month. This is unless the game says this war has take a full 17-20 years or something.

Deeprealms also felt like a way to justify the kids’ eligibility for marriage. I generally don’t like projecting myself onto the MU, but I avoid S Supporting 2nd generation units myself because marrying the kids never sat well with me. But that’s just personal choice and can be easily avoided if I don’t want to marry them.

* * *

 

_#q8: What is your opinion on the children of Fates?_

_\- Anonymous_

I thought the children mechanic was just there because Awakening had it, and a good enough number of people liked this so they had to bring it back, albeit for rather flimsy reasons. At least in Awakening, the mechanic could fit in because Lucina is based around that entire mechanic so it should be the same for the other possible children, but Fates doesn’t have that aside from a gameplay mechanic that operates separately from everything else (the fact that My Castle works on a separate plane of existence was rather funny).

As for the children themselves, they’re okay as people, although I didn’t get to know them very well because I didn’t use them very much in my playthroughs. I think the fact that they were so removed from the main plot of the game made me not really care about them. Although if I had to pick favorites, Midori is adorable.

* * *

 

_#q9: First, Soleil and now Forrest. Are any of the other Nohrian Second Gen going to make an appearance or mention in some shape or form under changed circumstances or is it just those two?_

_\- Anonymous_

I actually don’t know. It’s not really likely. I was contemplating bringing Percy early into the story, but Percy would just be a repeat of Soleil. At some point Sophie was going to be Claudia’s child instead of Silas (or would be if Silas remains unmarried), but I’ve put that off because she won’t be featured in the current time. At some point I thought Setsuna and Azama would already be married with Mitama who’d be around Soleil’s age, but that also is up in the air.

I will say that Selkie has a non-canonical mother. One old draft has Anri finding baby Selkie after the whole disaster at the Kitsune Village, and Keaton offers to raise the baby with his own people at Mount Garou. When the Revelations plot was once a separate thing, Selkie would be Velouria’s older sister of sorts, and their sideplot would be Selkie returning to her place of origin after learning her adopted father was partially responsible for Kaden’s death (oh wow it’s Fates all over again haha). When she comes to the Kitsune Village, it’s not as grand as it was before, but the survivors react negatively to Velouria and express their hate for Nohr. Some of these elements will be preserved in the latest draft.

* * *

 

_Aw, it would have been awesome to see an Eponine who actually focused on the whole trying to be Robin Hood thing :(_

_\- adeptarcanist_

If it’s any consolation, Eponine wasn’t ever going to be around in the first generation and instead in an afterstory of sorts where she could be a major character. Knowing Niles and Anri, they put off having children after the whole campaign was over (they were just being responsible back when I tried to incorporate Deeprealms).

One idea for the Revelations Route starring the 2nd generation was a technology boom on the entire continent, so stuff like the printing press would become a thing. One idea for Nina was that she was not just into fantasies about guys hooking up, but it’s also kinda part of her job as an investigative journalist of sorts. She’s usually up for almost anything, from love scandals to uncovering corrupt nobles and holding them accountable, although she especially likes writing about scandals more often than not. It’s a far cry from her being a full blown Robin Hood, unless you want to make the metaphor that she “steals” the truth from the rich and “gives” them to the poor.

Considering that her father Niles and Anri are both a big part of the ruling administration (Niles ends up getting into law or smth), the whole idea of justice is a big deal for her, so she’d risk life and limb to get to the bottom of the truth. She used to do these activities in complete secret, only using what she learned from Niles, and ended up competing with her own fathers in certain cases.

… Now I’m itching for an Ace Attorney AU for Fates bc just finished AA6… damnit. I want everyone to be wacky witnesses and prosecutors now.

* * *

 

_Journalist Nina sounds so awesome to me! I'm a bit sad that the Revelations story will not be. It also reminded me of the comic where Niles gave Anri a steamy book. I would think that Anri would understand what was going on, but want to talk to Niles about the plot of the story instead. I feel like it would be a "cute" story parents would tell their kids when they were older._

_\- mrmissmrsrandom_

Maybe I’ll make little epilogue chapters as side material when the time comes. I never really changed what I had in store for Nina, it’s just that I can’t write a full blown story for her now.

Also, yeah, Anri would read the book Niles gave him regardless of the intentions behind it, start to finish, and he’d actually turn out not getting put off by the smut like Niles was expecting him to be. But then when Anri starts discussing stuff like the plot and theme with Niles, the man just freezes up because he didn’t expect Anri to be so into that book in the first place and now he has nothing valuable to say, and wow listening to Anri talk about smth he likes is nice, so now he has to read the damn book in detail himself so he can keep up with anything Anri says.

* * *

 

_#q10: Although Xander has the option will he likely be taking more than one or two consorts? Just wondering because I'd be interested to see who Siegbert's birth mother would eventually be. (And maybe even OC children for the others?)_

_\- Anonymous_

To be honest, Xander’s only going to take two consorts in the actual text, since I don’t want to overwhelm the plot with that entire subplot by having him marry all his options. So technically that means Siegbert, and an OC child. Was playing around with names a month ago, and I’ve decided on Ornella, which is rather fitting that Xander would name his daughter after some sort of plant in reference to his late sister Diantha and something grand befitting of the Lorenzen name.

I’ll still write the support conversations from C to A+, and the potential consorts all have to get along at some point or the another in the actual plot otherwise their friendship wouldn’t hold water.

* * *

 

_#q11: What would Ornella (Xander's other daughter) be like as an adult?_

_\- Anonymous_

Ornella greatly resembles Diantha, even to the point of sharing a flower-like name (Diantha is after all an important person in Xander’s life). She’s not nearly as interested in medicine like Diantha , so he’s more than happy to encourage and sponsor Midori into it. What she really likes doing is talking to people and is a full on extrovert, but she hates taking responsibility for things and carries some level of arrogance. She is able to take on the Spymaster (the glorified Butler/Maid) Class, and coordinates with Nina as an inside source, whether to create mischief or for the sake of justice beyond the law.

As the younger sibling, she enjoys embarrassing her older brother Siegbert, sometimes going too far, but she supports him. They also tend to disagree a lot, too, but their best, they are a dynamic royal duo with a great amount of influence.

* * *

 

_#q12: So did Odin have a similar reaction (compared to Horatio and Marianne) when Niles became Leo's retainer as when Candace joined the party?_

_\- ourastre_

Yes and no. Niles did get employed by Leo after a botched robbery in Palace Macarath and never really made a threat on Leo’s life, so Odin had many doubts when Leo decided to make a thief his retainer, but he wasn’t taken aback as he was with Candace. Niles really didn’t appear very much of a threat to him and was seen as some kid who grew up in Fallmount and failed trying to rob a palace. Candace is a different case because she put Leo in explicit danger in an attempt to “test” him, which Odin highly doesn’t approve of.

Odin has had his share of dealing with mercenaries before in his younger years. I’ve always headcanoned that things got so bad in the bad future of Awakening where he was a mercenary himself. So he does emphathize with Niles over surviving the cutthroat underworld at a young age. But he was a Ylissean prince, so in a way, he’s the bridge between Leo and Niles’ different backgrounds. In his rare moments of not being silly (and being an embarrassing brother/father/friend figure to Leo and Niles), he gives both of them some perspective on understanding each other and various other people they come across.


	28. Hoshido Q&A

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Answers about the Hoshidan side of the story, and some stuff about what Arisa's route could have been.

  1. What was Azura's relationship with her Hoshidan siblings?
  2. What relationship do the Hoshidan siblings have with Ikona?
  3. Did Sumeragi have two wives at the same time? Did Ikona have feelings for Mikoto?
  4. Did Ryoma witness Sumeragi die and Anri get kidnapped like in canon?
  5. How did the Hoshidan siblings feel about Azura joining Anri?
  6. What role (improved or new) will the Hoshidan siblings play in this story?
  7. How does one become a retainer in Hoshido?
  8. Is the Ema Inazuma in this story the same Ema from FE Cipher?



* * *

 

_#q1: What was Azura's relationship with each of the Hoshidan royal family before things went south?_

_- queensavage1245_

I wouldn’t say their interactions were lukewarm, nor were the happiest, either. Azura mostly kept to Mikoto and later Sakura some more, while the other siblings were either away for the most part or didn’t make an effort to spend time (it’s rather sad how both Hinoka and Ryoma seem to be making an effort to spend time with her only after their lost sibling has come back).

**Ryoma**

Very easily the second closest to Azura. As future king, Ryoma has to know a lot of things about Mikoto and Azura, so he best understands their struggles and feelings. He’s tried in their earlier years to make the best of their situation and make Azura feel welcome, Nohrian or not, but the rest of the family were either too young or still grieving to be as accepting.

Ryoma, as he always does, usually buries himself in work a lot, but he’d once in a while go out of his way to check on Azura once in a while or ask about her through Mikoto, who oversees her training and usually tells him when Azura needs alone time or not. It’s not the best way to keep in contact, but it’s the best he can do when Azura often doesn’t stick around on purpose.

They get along rather well, to a point where Ryoma would rather share his darker thoughts with her rather than with Mikoto or Hinoka out of worry anyone else would think something was wrong with him. He still is wary of Azura because the whole concept of a Vallite priestess is so new to him, and the more he learns about her profession, the less happy he feels for her predicament, which he can’t change.

**Hinoka**

Surprisingly the least closest to Azura. Hinoka spent an extensive amount of time at her uncle’s place than home, mostly because she didn’t like being around her stepmother at first and she had her priorities set on rescuing Anri. The fact that she felt that Azura was being pushed as a replacement sibling did not help relations, either.

She’s grown up a lot since then, and now they make fairly good acquaintances in that they don’t pick fights when in the same room together, but Hinoka is not Azura’s first choice to trust personal information with. Hinoka isn’t as senstive to Azura’s emotions as the other siblings, and often comes to the wrong conclusions about her sister a lot.

**Takumi**

While Takumi has spent most of his childhood with Azura, he still remembers Anri, but only a little, so he, too, still has attachment to the Anri before he was taken away. So in some ways, having Azura as a new sister kinda rubs salt in the wounds, because Azura is definitely not Anri. He may not feel as strongly about this like Hinoka, but something about Azura always bugs him.

For Azura, it’s hard to tell how he feels about her, because on one hand, he’ll be non-confrontational, and other times, he will make his disdain for her lineage clear. However, he doesn’t know many details about her practice as a Vallite priestess, aside from the fact that she can heal people without expending healing rods, and that Mikoto is one, too. She can tell he is dying to know about this stuff, but he can never bring himself to ask.

Most times they hang out, it’s because of work, or one of Azura’s duties to visit some places to heal someone, and Mikoto tells Takumi to go because Ryoma and Hinoka are busy. They’re used to traveling with each other in silence, although his retainers make the trip more lively. Oboro is firm about her dislike of Nohrians and stays clear of Azura whenever she can, and Hinata is always so full of questions. It’s come to a point that Hinata has to ask any questions Takumi has but will never admit to wanting to ask, because it’s Hinata. At least this makes Azura smile that Takumi (and Hinata) kindddaaaaaa care.

**Sakura**

By far the closest to Azura. Sakura pretty much adores Azura, who stayed with her in Shirasagi as she grew up. When she’s not with her other friends, she hangs out with Azura, and often asks about her practice as priestess, although Azura is rather tight lipped about it.

Sometimes she even requests Azura to come along, which is why Tsubaki and Hana get along with Azura the best among the retainers, too. A lot of people frown on Azura going out with Sakura, but neither of them mind as much (anyone who says shit about them gets a good glare from Hana and Tsubaki).

Azura may not share all her secrets with Sakura, she feels most at ease with her. Even after Azura decides to ditch the Hoshidan family, Sakura still believes that Azura had good reason and even goes out to find the truth, although that jeopardizes her health and her bonds with her other siblings.

* * *

 

_#q2: What sort of relationship did the Hoshido sibs have with Ikona? Like, Takumi and Sakura might not remember her very well, but Ryoma and Hinoka do, right?_

_\- Anonymous_

Ryoma was much like his uncle Hisashi in his younger days, so he got scolded by Ikona a lot whenever he got into trouble or getting his siblings involved. She often thought his father spoiled him too much and tries to be the balancing disciplinary figure. She often imposed her perfectionist tendencies on him, although he didn’t mind, because he too valued the same needs, and they were very close for him to understand that this was her way of caring. He often gets annoyed whenever anyone speaks badly of his mother or question her capabilities because he knows she’s a badass and knows how often she drowns in self doubt when these things come up.

Technically, Ikona was expected to retire from the Sky Knight Corps soon and be a “proper” queen to Sumeragi, but her husband didn’t mind letting her do as she pleased and let her thrive. Regardless, the pressure for her to retire was high even after Mikoto helped alleviate tensions, something for which she was very grateful (and one of the reasons she fell for her). Ikona didn’t want her daughters to go through the same ordeal, so she placed a high emphasis on their education on propriety and tried to not encourage them to take up weapons training. Initially resistant, Hinoka didn’t quite understand why her mother pushed her so hard to go this different path, but when she became a Sky Knight after her brother’s kidnapping, she began to notice how differently she was being treated and came to understand why her mother didn’t want the same experience for her.

Takumi only remembers a few times he’s been with Ikona, most certainly the time she tried to fly him on her horse, and they both had a panic attack when she nearly dropped him. He’s since then not been a big proponent of traveling by flight. Sakura doesn’t remember her mother Ikona at all, and often sees Mikoto as a stronger parental presence than her parents. However, she takes after her mother in that they have anxiety about new things.

* * *

 

_#q3: Did Sumeragi have two wives at the same time then?_

_\- Anonymous_

Nope. Mikoto was Sumeragi’s mistress for a while, and only until after Ikona’s death was Mikoto named queen.

* * *

 

_So did Ikona know about mikoto being her husband's mistress(before you know giving birth to Anri) ? Was it frowned upon to have more than one lover in Hosihido?_

_\- Anonymous_

As Queen of Hoshido, Ikona knew about Mikoto’s true identity and her mission, and was aware of the so called affair. Having more than one lover in Hoshido is frowned upon, but she was chill about it and even appreciated Mikoto’s company. They both got along well over the experience of feeling displaced in Shirasagi, and whatever role Ikona couldn’t fill for Sumeragi, Mikoto did, and vice versa. The same can’t be said for the rest of the country, which is why Mikoto had such a hard time being queen.

* * *

 

_Did Ilona have feelings for Mikoto as well?_

_\- Anonymous_

Yes. Mikoto is special to both Ikona and Sumeragi, and they all loved each other a lot. I didn’t feel like making Ikona be antagonistic to Mikoto and see her as a threat. Even if Ikona didn’t like Mikoto at first, I’d never believe Mikoto could just stand there and take it, no matter how much the games lead me to believe that everyone from Valla seems to be so self-sacrificial bc this woman led Hoshido. Like, come on, she had to be pretty tough as nails.

While Sumeragi and Ikona accepted Mikoto out of necessity at first, she eventually grew really close to both of them, and they had a good environment and background to be happier together.

* * *

 

_#q4: So, in the Revelations route, Ryoma reveals that he had been at Cheve and saw Sumeragi's death and his sibling get kidnapped. Does that still hold true here?_

_\- Anonymous_

Unfortunately (or fortunately) not. Ryoma has been replaced by Mikoto who accompanies her husband to Cheve to see King Garon because she has other plans with Garon aside from overseeing a treaty be signed (getting custody of Azura now that Arete’s dead). She, along with the ninjas who oversaw the king’s security, witnesses the murder and have to bring back the Raijinto without its master.

Some Hoshidan Nobles exclaim that Mikoto may have set up Sumeragi’s death so she can take advantage of the throne while Ryoma is young. However, Ryoma and many others defend her, stating that no mother who loved her children so dearly would sacrifice them, let alone take their father away from them. Mikoto would never forget her stepson’s resolve.

* * *

 

_#q5: How did the Hosidian Siblings react to Azura joining Anri?_

_\- Anonymous_

Takumi saw it coming and is ready to treat her like any other enemy, Ryoma is ambivalent, since he wanted to deny it possibly happening but since Anri left them, he’s… less explosive about it, Hinoka is enraged this could ever happen (especially since they meet each other again at Notre Sagesse), and Sakura is sad but she’s done crying and wants to understand why.

* * *

 

_#q6: I am really interested in what you are going to do with the Hoshidan siblings in this AU. I'm pretty salty towards Ryoma and Hinoka because they give more attention to Corrin in the canon story than they do with Takumi, Sakura, and Azura. I'm pretty sure they didn't mean to do this, but it affected the younger siblings in some ways. Takumi and Sakura are close (and adorable), Hinoka and Ryoma are close, and Azura was never that close with anyone, but as a whole they feel distant._

_\- evonee_

I’m pretty excited, too. When I think about which family I like more, I lean a little more to the Nohrian family. On all three routes, I wanted so badly to love the Hoshidan family as much as a lot of other people, but a lot of times, the game barely gives me enough about them. Much of my time with the Hoshidan family ends with me saying “Wait, that’s it?!” and the game just shrugs at me and goes about its own business.

Although as I’ve said before, I’m a little anxious about how the Hoshidan siblings for this AU will be received since the older ones did so little and didn’t get very much spotlight or time for character development to kick in, or it’s said in supports that the development already happened. I might have to give them a different conflict to deal with, or I could let them take a few steps back so we can see them overcome their flaws in real time rather than just hearing it from secondary sources.

A really good point you bring up about the Hoshidan family is that they say they’re a family, but they don’t exactly have that closeness as they say. Ryoma and Hinoka are definitely closer to each other than to their other siblings. Takumi and Sakura’s problems largely go unaddresed by their family for a very long time. Poor Azura is left behind by almost everyone, even with Mikoto around to bridge the gap. Actually, I’ve always wondered if Sakura and Takumi looked up to Mikoto as a mother more than Ikona, who died when they were really young, because it would be interesting how they compare to Hinoka, who once rejected Mikoto.

For the Hoshidan family, I really want to emphasize how they take their family dynamic for granted to the point they are distant without even realizing it until Anri disrupts everything they understand and believe about family. I think it would be interesting to see how both Hinoka and Ryoma take this situation, since they both knew Anri the best. Both of them have spent so long trying to get him back, only for him to reject what they’ve done, while Takumi and Sakura both suffer for it yet don’t raise any issues about being neglected because they feel the need to put the needs of their family before their own.

* * *

 

_#q7: What's the process of becoming a retainer in Hoshido, and who else would've been Anri's if he was never kidnappers, besides Kaze?_

_\- Anonymous_

For something has high profile as being a royal retainer, I’d imagine there are organized contests where the best and brightest go to show off their skills while the royal family spectates. There’s some cases of royals participating in the contest themselves to fight the top fighters who make it to the final round. Otherwise, it comes down to recommendations from family or noble families. It’s somewhat of a problem when the retainer system in Hoshido is very insular, whereas in Nohr, it’s very common for commoners to enter tournaments under noble sponsorship.

Hoshidan princes and princesses often are assigned at least one retainer the day they are born, and they are allowed to choose their second one when they get older. Hoshidan kings and queens who marry into the Yamato Clan can choose their own retainers, too, by tournament, personal choice, etc.

My first guess is that Anri would take on someone from a respected noble family on his siblings’ recommendation. Since he’d probably get along with his younger siblings the best if he had grown up with his family, he’d probably take Takumi’s suggestion to hire Saburo Hiromi, or Sakura’s suggestion to take on Ema Inazuma. He could just go ahead and hire Mozu under some special circumstances where’d they meet.

* * *

 

_#q8: Are you using the same Ema as the one in FE Cipher? (Does that mean Shade and Yuzu are also off somewhere in your AU?)_

_\- Anonymous_

Yeah. Shade isn’t technically in this AU. Annaliese of Buelen’s design takes after her (their personalities are different). I’m not sure if or when I could put in Yuzu or Lando.


	29. Consorts & Garon Q&A Part 2

  1. Why did Rose and Irma have a bad relationship?
  2. Does Marianne care about Leo now that she has Forrest? Why no contact?
  3. Did Katerina regret breaking her promise to Theresa?
  4. How were things like between Irma, Annaliese, and Horatio while Annaliese was on life support?
  5. How did Theresa's opinion of Garon change after Kate broke her promise?
  6. The Consort system explained
  7. Was Yvonne nice to Xander because they were close to Diantha?
  8. How did Horatio feel about Marianne after Leo snapped at her?
  9. Was Marianne and Leo inspired by Miriel and Laurent?
  10. Does Gabriella fell guilt for having a relationship with Garon when he had Kate?
  11. How would Leila react to the Durand Massacre?
  12. How did Yvonne and Annaliese get along?
  13. How did Kate and Annaliese get along?
  14. Gabrielle was retainer to how many people?
  15. What was Jerry's relationship with Marianne?
  16. Did Xander approve of Arete as a consort?
  17. Why did Xander favor Magdalena so much?
  18. Was Gabby the key to the Durand Massacre?



* * *

 

_#q1: Why did rose and Irma have a bad relationship_

_\- Anonymous_

This is the mom who deliberately kept her daughter socially isolated and encouraged insane loyalty to her father and country that not even Xander could compare. Man, what isn’t bad about this?

Okay, okay, serious time.

Irma never really thinks of what’s best for her daughter, but rather for herself. She doesn’t really think about the future of her daughter, but rather the present. This does contribute to a sense of possessiveness she has over her daughter to the point of extreme micromanaging. Who she sees, what she does or study, who she marries, all were decided by Irma, not Rose.

Technically it works “fine” for both of them, but Rose places too much faith on her mother’s decisions for her because Irma tends to be right most of the time. Irma herself doesn’t do much to fix this because she expected to be a part of Rose’s life most of the time, so when she dies unexpectedly by Reina’s hand, Roswitha is left a complete mess because she never really gets over her overdependence.

* * *

 

_#q2: So even though Marianne has a kid now, she still doesn't care at all about Leo? To the point where she didn't even really want to talk to him?_

_\- Anonymous_

More like she knows what she’s done, so fixing things is nigh impossible. Also she doesn’t dare step foot in Windmire when she’s pretty much a fugitive from Nohrian law. Now that Leo has bothered to find her, the least she can do is help him now that he needs her.

* * *

 

_#q3: Did Katerina. (and Garon for that matter) regret breaking their promise to Theresa?_

_\- Anonymous_

Katerina didn’t have much regret for breaking their promise, which is what bothered Theresa the most. Garon was reluctant, but he didn’t express his thoughts until much later after Katerina’s death. By then, it was a bit too late for apologies.

* * *

 

_#q4: What was Annalisse, Irma, and Horatio's relationship like since those two kept Annalisse alive_

_\- Anonymous_

The three only ally on the basis of their shared blood, and not much else. Perhaps when they were younger, they got along fairly well, but the distance grew stronger as they got older even more when they pursued different professions. Horatio didn’t share many interests with his sister or his cousin, but he had once admired their forwardness.

As the fiance to a member of the Lorenzens, Annaliese was mostly free to do as she pleased, and Irma often pointed how lazy her cousin was, but didn’t make an effort to change her for the better because doing so would make it harder to push her around. Horatio was always eager to do good for his sister and country, and would not look upon favorably on his cousin like his sister. Annaliese is quite aware they don’t exactly like her, either, and often just avoids them whenever she can. The conflict that left took away her future husband did little motivation for her to try and reconcile with her cousins, since they were kept apart for quite a while, possibly a minor adjustment dealt by Katerina who didn’t want the Buelens to gain strength while the Albrands were in a disarray.

When Annaliese was poisoned and more or less put on a sort of life support. Irma offered to take care of Jeremiah, although it was truly a ploy hidden by a kind gesture to have a second playing piece for Buelen dominance. She planned to give the most minimal effort, until Horatio stepped in to help the boy, who took an instant liking to him instead of Irma. Slightly miffed that she couldn’t change Jeremiah’s mind, Irma had Horatio be the boy’s primary tutor. Horatio accepted simply out of pity for the boy and his mother.

Horatio later persuaded Irma to allow Jeremiah to see his true mother as often as he can, even visiting the prince’s mother himself when Jeremiah was busy. After a while, he himself made personal visits to his cousin out of worry that she’d be bored or worried. The incident had truly made her a changed woman, but with her current state, she could never go back to the functional life she once had. Annaliese was all the more grateful to him, and he had been much more in touch with her less acidic side, seeing her as more of a sister than his own.

When Annaliese died, Horatio told her that he would make good on his word to make sure Jeremiah can grow up to be a successful prince who could make his mother proud. Irma wasn’t present to see her in her last moments, in lieu of waiting outside of her chambers, although she didn’t speak very much for the rest of the week.

* * *

 

_#q5: After losing to Kate (to be the queen), how did Theresa's opinion of Garon change?_

_\- Anonymous_

I’d like to correct that Theresa didn’t lose the title of queen to Kate, as in this alternate universe, there is no rank among the consorts. What Theresa lost was her trust in both Katerina and Garon as her friends for not following on their promise and not putting up as much of an objection when Garon was pressured into marrying someone. Even more so, now that she didn’t feel as close to them as before, they didn’t do much to fix the damage done. Well, not until Katerina herself had died, but by the time Garon realized what mistakes he’s made, it was far too late.

* * *

 

_#q6: when did garon start taking consorts? gabriella joining kate and garon in uhm. private situations, as well as theresa's whole thing made me think it was before kate died, but i think the timeline mentioned the harem starting after kate's death... also if garon married all of them, why is it only katerina and arete were officially queens? were they like. a higher level of married with him or was the title of queen something he'd have to pick only one wife for?_

_\- Anonymous_

I believe this is a bit of a mix-up between things that I wrote in the past (keeping things consistent is more difficult than it looks), and then things that were in canon that I decided to edit for coherence. I should try to clarify this before I confuse more people, so thank you for bringing this up.

* * *

 

_when did garon start taking consorts? gabriella joining kate and garon in uhm. private situations, as well as theresa’s whole thing made me think it was before kate died, but i think the timeline mentioned the harem starting after kate’s death…_

Garon had been meaning to marry Theresa and Katerina from the beginning, like they’ve been together for so long, they took the idea of their marriage for granted. They wanted to get married at the same time, but Katerina jumped the gun, and Theresa took personal offense to that. In Annaliese’s case, he married her to honor her family’s agreement to have her installed as a consort via Hugo (who died unexpectedly), but the two didn’t like each other much, so they put it off as long as possible. As for the other women who joined later, he probably wouldn’t have strongly considered making them his consorts had it not been for Katerina’s death and the fallout with Theresa.

* * *

 

_“… also if garon married all of them, why is it only katerina and arete were officially queens? were they like. a higher level of married with him or was the title of queen something he’d have to pick only one wife for?“_

In the game, it sounds like Garon gave special preference to Arete and Katerina as his queens while his concubines (or in localization’s case, mistresses) did not seem to share the same status (either that or they were such awful people so no one likes to bring them up). This could be the fault of the original story not being able to delve into history of Nohr in greater depth, but that’s the best we can gather from canon. Although if there’s more things I missed, I’m eager to know about it.

When I first started writing this AU, I went along with the angle that Arete and Katerina were the special ones of the harem who got the extra title to their position as “queens” instead of simply just concubines, but I changed my mind somewhere along the way and decided to address all of Garon’s wives as equals in status as consorts. None of them has more authority than the other, rule-wise, but the system is still lax enough for the consorts to try and establish hierarchy among themselves (one can intimidate others into being subservient and alliances). Katerina being the first consort was not a big deal. The person who took most offense with it was Theresa because it was a personal betrayal to her, not everyone else who saw this as perfectly fine because both of them would enjoy the same status in public.

* * *

 

_#q7: Was Yvonne nicer to Xander than Elise because she was close to Dia and when they both lost Dia it was hard on both of them_

_\- Anonymous_

Yvonne owes a lot to Diantha for helping her become a consort (Dia even helped with the delivery of Yvonne’s baby), so learning that the princess died was big blow for Yvonne. The fact that Elise resembles Diantha in many ways is touching and painful for both Xander and Yvonne.

* * *

 

_#q8: So basically Marianne used Leo as her own personal guinea pig in the name of magic and dumped him in the trash when he had enough and stayed away from her? That's disgusting. How did Horatio feel about Marianne after Leo snapped? I can see him feeling horrible about the poor guy especially after that happened._

_\- evonee_

The fact that Marianne still lives leaves room for a little hope, though.

Leo snapped not long after Jeremiah’s execution. The fact that Marianne had little regard to her son’s emotional state after the incident really pushed him to the edge. As for Horatio, it’s the second time he’s hit rock bottom, and he really couldn’t recover from this umpteenth failure. He thought he was completely unfit to be Leo’s mentor, although he’s felt this way since the day he took the position.

To be fair, Horatio made sure the kid was in good hands before he left. He made sure to give Leo a proper apology instead of just leaving without a trace, and he requested Damian, Camilla and Odin to take care of Leo in his absence.

* * *

 

_#q9: marianne is a very interesting character, i cant wait to see more of her in the future! also might i ask, was she and her relationship with leo somehow influenced by miriel and laurent from the previous game? with the thing of being cold and more interested in magic than in people, it reminded me of her a little_

_\- Anonymous_

I guess their relationship took some influence from Miriel and Laurent, although those two weren’t exactly the first thing I thought of when I wrote about Marie and Leo. I guess Marianne is just a culmination of a lot of scientist tropes I’ve picked up over the years, but for her relationship with her son, I actually was thinking from personal experience. Don’t worry, I love my family a lot, and we’re on really good terms these days! Whatever conflicts we had weren’t ever as bad as Leo and Marie’s, but my teen years was a strange time.

* * *

 

_#q10: So did Gabriella really feel guilt that she was sleeping with her boss' husband or naw_

_\- Anonymous_

Not really, since both Kate and Gabby were really good at sharing, unlike a certain someone, and Gabby joining her boss and the king in bed wasn’t an uncommon occurrence.

* * *

 

_#q11: How would Leila have reacted to the Durand Massacre?_

_\- Anonymous_

She would have been heartbroken. For the most part, she never saw Theresa and her family as the enemy, despite Theresa’s bullying. She would not have wanted to see son participate in these killings in her name, and she would not have wanted to see her friend reach this level of cruelty. While, the Durand family at the time are responsible for a lot of horrible things happening in Fallmount, not all of those acts are attributed to the family as a whole, just the people at the top, like Saverio and Theresa. Leila would believe that compromise and peaceful resolution was still possible, if so to spare the innocent lives who died simply because their name was attached to one or two bad ones.

* * *

 

_#q12: When Yvonne was taking care of Annaliese, what was their relationship like? Did Annalisse say anything along the lines of "you're not helping why are you trying?" Or was she grateful?_

_\- Anonymous_

Annaliese was grateful for Yvonne’s efforts, but didn’t think that she could ever make a full recovery. Nonetheless, she said little (by the time Yvonne took care of her, she could hardly speak anyways) and welcomed Yvonne’s attempts to brighten her day.

* * *

 

_#q13: What was Katerina and Annalisse's relationship like? Since Annalisse was a consort before Theresa and was enlisted by Katerina they must have talked a couple times. Did Katerina pity Anna for her lost love?_

_\- Anonymous_

Very snappish, in that Annaliese and Katerina were not friends. Katerina often disapproved of Annaliese’s excessive spending. Even worse, Annaliese was not a very powerful mage until the big upheaval kicked in and she was forced to fight. At least she’s very good at hiding her dislike for Annaliese, but she kept little contact with the other woman, opting to draw information on Buelen activity from Annaliese’s cousins Irma and Horatio instead.

* * *

 

_#q14: So if consorts can have retrainers, did all (or most) or them take that opportunity or no. Gabby was Katerina's and then Garon's?_

_\- Anonymous_

Hiring retainers is not mandatory for the consorts, mostly because they aren’t direct members of House Lorenzen (and while this is a cruel opinion to have, they are technically a bit more dispensable than those of dragon’s blood). But since it’s a bit of a life or death factor, one is better off having a retainer than to be alone. Consort Arete herself refused to take on any official retainers to maintain her privacy (Gabrielle served as an unofficial one, but the consort took on that duty out of personal reasons), while Consort Calanthe, Garon’s late mother, also didn’t take any retainers under the claim that she can easily defend herself (to be fair, she was the last one to fall when Oswald tried to wipe out the ruling family).

And yes, Gabrielle once served Katerina as a retainer under Theresa’s recommendation. After Katerina’s passing, Gabrielle became an official consort and Garon’s retainer after Horatio stepped down from the position to focus on military operations, right around the time the Massacre of Durand happened. So, Gabrielle didn’t exactly hold the position of retainer for very long, but she still holds distinction for it. From then on, Garon only had Gunter as retainer, and Horatio never returned to that position because he would resign from the Nohrian army a few years later.

* * *

 

_#q15: What was Jerry's relationship with Marianne like?_

_\- Anonymous_

A rather professional relationship. Marianne is an all around good boss because she doesn’t pester him to meet up with everyone else and lets him do his work. Jerry’s also one of her better subordinates who rarely messes things up and can keep up with her train of thought most of the time. Once in a while they discuss in a friendly debate about the moral implications of their work, but they’ve both come to accept that what’s done is done and what they do, they do for the good of the people of Nohr.

* * *

 

_#q16: Did Xander approve of Arete being the next queen_

_\- Anonymous_

He has mixed feelings about the matter, because he knows Arete is likely of commoner origin, but that’s not really new for a consort, but she never seemed to do anything aside from stand quietly behind the king most of the time. She didn’t seem like a combatant, but he’s never heard Diantha talk about her as if she worked with the healers. It almost felt like she was dead weight, but if Garon found some value in her presence, he had to accept it.

Everything seemed fine until Arete turned up dead in the aqueducts when they returned to Windmire for an important meeting. No one knows how she ended up there, or why she was killed, but most people looked to Theresa or Irma, who were glad the woman died, but didn’t claim responsibility. The king was devestated, and he was never quite the same afterwards.

Xander supposed that Arete must have been bad for him if he turned out this way. So when he sees Azura follow Anri around in a similar fashion, he has every reason to be afraid for his little brother and the rest of his family. Women of Arete and Azura’s kind spelled death.

* * *

 

_#q17: Why did Xander like Madagelna so much_

_\- Anonymous_

He pitied her situation, much like Garon did. Although Theresa tried to exploit that pity in an attempt to kill him, he doesn’t blame Magda for what happened. Also Diantha adored her, so he is kind to her. Also Leila is just one rank lower because Xander had some difficulty accepting her as a mother figure compared to Gabrielle. Yvonne was the consort who knew him best in his later years.

* * *

 

_#q18: WAIT! Gabby was a Durband, and joined Seraphina for the Durband blood bath. Did she feel bad? Was she Seraphina's key to get in?_

_\- Anonymous_

She came from a vassal house from Durand. Although she knew Theresa back in their youth, she can clearly see that the woman is not the same, and that the family had been on the decline ever since Saverio had started taking over a lot of Paulino’s duties. After the “truth” was revealed that Saverio had begun dealing with Hoshidans and getting the rest of his family in on it, Gabrielle solemnly agreed with Seraphina that there was no choice but to execute them, for their activities were a threat to Garon, whom she had sworn by Katerina’s deathbed to protect at all costs. As for her part in Seraphina’s revenge, she was crucial for Seraphina to turn the majority of Durands’ vassal houses against the Durands and lead these knights into their lords’ estate for slaughter.


	30. A Guide to Necromancy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A quick powerpoint on how necromancy works in this AU, because this shit is really confusing.


	31. Siegfried & Brynhildr

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A brief summary of the play that is showing at the Cyrkensian theatre in Chapter 14.

**_Siegbert & Brynhildr _by Lucanus of Lorenzen**

No other work of Nohrian literature is as well regarded and well known as the epic of  _Siegbert & Brynhildr_. Written by Lucanus, the second consort of King Siegbert the Elder, the epic chronicles tragic romance of King Siegbert and his first consort Brynhildr and is among one of the few documented records on the forging of the Nohrian royal tome Brynhildr. Plays and songs have been written in tribute to this story.

Two lovers would meet when Siegbert, then a prince, makes a passage to the north in search of a fabled kingdom shrouded in snow. He takes refuge from the blizzard at a local Vallite temple, where he encounters a dancing priestess by the name of Brynhildr. Charmed, the two would travel together to Vandale and return from the snowy peaks as husband and wife.

War breaks out in the west lands, leading to an unprecedented wave of raids on Vallite temples for their otherworldly power. Brynhildr pled with her husband to address the kidnapping of her peers, but leading a war proved far more overwhelming than expected for him to act decisively. In her grief and dwindling trust for the world she had come to, Brynhildr prayed to the Father Dragon to make things right.

Answering the cries of his children, the Father Dragon decrees that all his children return home. A fine solution, until he refuses to allow Brynhildr to take her husband with her to Valla for fear of the collapse of order. She declines and is consequently killed by her father. Before she completely sinks to the ground in a pool of foam, she bids her beloved Siegbert one last goodbye. Without the priestesses to fight over, the war comes to a swift end, yet the king lost his queen.

Years later, Siegbert is desperate to preserve the memory of his wife. He encounters the villainous sorceror Cullen who claims to know how to bring his wife back in full form. Ecstatic, Siegbert announces promise of Brynhildr’s return, but the lies do not escape his loyal knight Mieno. Unfortunately, Mieno warns his friend at the last minute: his death. By then, Cullen has had his hands in every part of the royal court and manipulates Siegbert into thinking Mieno is the one plotting against him.

Mieno is sentenced to be struck by a thousand arrows, and as the bravest knight ever known, he took the blows willingly. Despite his wounds, he breathes his last words in warning to his king. Siegbert realizes that he had done his friend wrong, and cradles Mieno’s body while singing his apologies and blind assurance that perhaps the knight’s sacrifice is worth it. Cullen uses Mieno’s fresh corpse to resurrect Brynhildr.

The late queen returns, resentful as ever. She looks upon her husband with scorn and demands he kill her to set things right. Upon learning Cullen’s part in her resurrection, Brynhildr swears to kill him before she rightfully passes on. She rouses her husband to fight once more and together they defeat Cullen. Within that time, they come to terms with their love and all that had occurred in her absence, such as their children, whose lives hang in balance while Cullen threatens the west lands. Eventually, Byrnhildr would come to forgive Siegbert for wishing her back and even fear the possibility of parting from her husband once more.

In the final battle against Cullen, Brynhildr uses her borrowed time to create a stone of blue that banishes Cullen and bring light once more to the west lands. However, it came at the cost of her life. The powerful stone returned to Siegbert’s hands, and after a tearful song, Siegbert vows to make sure his wife is well remembered for ages to come. He encased the stone in a tome with the help of the Buelens, creating a powerful weapon that had a strong connection to the grounds that she held so dear. Naming the tome after his late consort, Siegbert declared Brynhildr an official royal treasure to be held at the same status as his sword, Siegfried. From then on, Nohrian kings and queens had the option to use Siegfried or Brynhildr as their royal arms of choice.

The beloved play is a known favorite at the Cyrekensia Theater and is performed annually. It’s a regular tradition for Nohrian kings to come to Nestra to attend a performance of  _Brynhildr_  at least once in their reign.

* * *

And now you know why the entire Nohrian family is so hype for this story.

It’s implied that King Siegbert the Elder probably had dealings with the Cult of Kleo, but fiction has likely simplified the cult to a singular sorceror. Lucanus has also written himself out of the story and demoted himself as only a trusted advisor, likely out of guilt and shame for having not prevented his husband’s despair and his fellow consort’s fate.

Music Accompaniment: [Snow in Winter](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtR7EkF9vl8) from NieR by MONACA


	32. Main Storyline Q&A II

  1. What are the names of the royals' mounts?
  2. Wait, I thought Camilla's wyvern was called Marzia?
  3. What exactly were the Durand Knight Companies like?
  4. At what age did Anri start exhibiting draconic abilites? How did he keep it hidden for so long?
  5. Do the Hoshidan siblings know about baby dragon Anri?
  6. Are there any official religions in Nohr and Hoshido?
  7. What holidays are celebrated in Nohr?
  8. How are nobility/royalty presented in Nohr and Hoshido?
  9. Are there going to be any Dark Falcons?
  10. How did Arete and Mikoto hide their origins?
  11. Are there any renowned regiments within the Hoshidan and Nohrian armies?
  12. Do the Wolfskin and Kitsune have their own domain?
  13. What is this connection that Vallite priestesses have to Anankos?
  14. Did Liselotte have time to throw shade at Azura after Arete died?
  15. How would Katerina have gotten along with the other consorts?
  16. If the Dawn and Dusk dragons were siblings, wouldn't the royal families of both nations be distant relatives?
  17. What Fire Emblem Echoes classes would the royals be?
  18. How does the pointy ear trait work?
  19. How do Vallite songs work?
  20. Why doesn't Anri own a mount?
  21. What if the Chevois resistance won?
  22. Anri is dead. What? How? Who? When? Where? Why?
  23. Do resurrected bodies age or rot?
  24. How did Daniela escape the Durand Massacre?
  25. Do Sakura and Elise have romantic relationships?
  26. What would Lady Gabrielle name her child if she could have one?
  27. Did people mistake Elise as Arete's kid because of her streaks in her hair?



* * *

#q1:  _What are the names of the royals' mounts?_

_- just-aron_

  * Xander
    * Valens - His first warhorse given to him by his father and recommended by Sir Gunter, Lost in the battle when he was nearly assassinated by Theresa then rescued by Magdalena
    * Cato - A replacement for Valens on short notice, so there wasn’t much meaning behind this one. Lost in the same battle when Faye and Lockie died.
    * Wymond - His current mount, a gift from Dennis and Claudia after they had a fun little competition over lancing one day.
  * Diantha
    * [Isemeine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ismene) - A gift from her lover Claudia, whose house often prided themselves in breeding the best horses. It’s probably Lovell tradition to give your lover or close friend a horse.
  * Marius
    * Sir Prize - Firstly, it’s fucking Marius. Secondly, it was a birthday present from grandpa Augustine.
  * Damian
    * Parnell - his first warhorse lent to him by Consort Gabrielle, was killed by Hoshidan spear masters late in the first wave of the Hoshidan-Nohr conflict
    * [Shabrang](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shabrang) - known for having a pitch black coat, named after a Nestrian folk tale his mother passed down to him
  * Camilla
    * Aliyah - The wyvern who chose her. Damian had a hand in the naming process, evidently.
  * Roswitha
    * Eluned - Like Claudia, Loren gave her a horse as well for their betrothal. The fact that she trained and rode it out to battle speaks volumes
  * Leo
    * Shabrang - Damian’s still living warhorse. He’s gotten older now, so he’s only for leisurely riding, or Anri uses him to travel around
    * Bia - Leo is a big nerd about the legends of Kleo and her four children, and he’s not afraid to be open about it. I mean, look at Niles.
  * Elise
    * Minjonette - A gift from Father, but he allowed her to give it a name, and so she gave it a cute name.



* * *

_#q2: I thought Camilla’s wyvern was named Marzia in game? Did you decide to change that for this au?_

_- Anonymous_

There has been no canonical name for Camilla’s wyvern, last I checked the game scripts. I believe someone started it in a fanfic, and then another person picked it up and put in the wiki where people check for info often. The wiki no longer has that as a fact anymore, I believe, but the false information already stuck.

Even if it was Marzia, I would have changed it anyways because I’d want Camilla’s wyvern to have a more meaningful name. So I went for something that showed her closeness to Damian (she let him help choose a name), and also is a reference to her Nestrian heritage through her mother. She isn’t very blatantly open about her multicultural background as much as Damian is, but she still has some pride. I imagine Theresa bullied them for being part Nestrian so them doing these little things like giving their mounts Nestrian names are their way of saying “Fuck yeah I’m part Nestrian and I feel damn great about it so fuck you”.

* * *

_#q3: What exactly were the Durand Knight Companies like?_

_\- Anonymous_

Durand is still considered a bit of a frontier because the forests in that place are thick as hell especially if you don’t know what you’re doing. So each major city in the region would have militia like companies that would protect and communicate with other cities. It’s thanks to these companies that proper roads were built in the forest for better traveling.

This had been going on way before the Durands had to properly make Fallmount a proper province. In fact, they had enough power to be able to send men to fight in wars on their behalf while still carrying out their usual duties. They were officially called knight companies to give the leaders of each company legitimacy in political affairs outside of Fallmount. With the support of House Durand they had some amount of power, but a lot of them aren’t around anymore because of the Durand Massacre.

* * *

_#q4: What age did Anri start exhibiting draconic abilities? The game makes it seem like they start turning into a dragon in chapter 5, but to me, it seems a little bit far fetched that Corrin went 18 or 19 years like a totally normal human until momma dies which just unlocks dragon transformation suddenly? (I guess I should also ask when regular Vallites start turning into dragons as well)_

_\- Anonymous_

Anri’s been able to do it since he was a baby, so there was a time when Ikona and Sumeragi freaked out whenever he turned into a baby dragon and Mikoto had to explain everything to them. Most Vallites know to control it when they’re five, which was around the time Anri gets taken to Nohr.

And then he got the shit beaten out of him and killed then resurrected a lot to the point he forgot that he even had a dragon form. Remember how I wrote that he thought he fell in a bramble patch to justify his scars.

By the beginning of the story, he has little memory on how to do it. He has to be forced into dragon form by a deadly song or by the assistance of the Dragonstone. And there’s really no one who can really teach him how to do it normally again because Mikoto’s dead, Arete’s dead, and Anankos is the reason he can’t do it normally in the first place.

Azura is in the near same position as him, in that she can’t demonstrate it to him. To become a priestess, she has given up any and all memory on using draconic abilities except Dragon Veins. Because… who needs to be a dragon when you’re technically just an extension of Anankos himself? So she doesn’t remember shit, either.

As difficult as it is, maybe he’ll learn how to do it normally.

* * *

_#q5: Did the Hoshidan siblings (mostly Ryoma and Hinoka) ever see baby dragon Anri? If they did, how did they react to it, and do they remember much of it as adults?_

_- Anonymous_

Ryoma definitely has and knows a lot about it because he was old enough to remember and as future king, he had to learn about it anyways. He is the least shocked about Anri’s transformation because he knew about it before through Azura and Mikoto.

Hinoka was only 4 when Anri was born, and the royal children often were raised separately sometimes, so by the time she started spending a lot of time with Anri, Anri already settled properly in human form. She may or may not remember about it, but not much, because Azura and Mikoto rarely discussed Vallite matters with the Hoshidan family. Even so, she trusts Ryoma almost completely, so if he’s chill about it, so is she.

Takumi and Sakura didn’t know about Anri’s form at all, much less his Vallite lineage. So seeing him turn into a dragon was the biggest shock for them, and why Takumi immediately got defensive about it the most. Sakura was scared as hell about it, too, but because she trusts Ryoma and Hinoka’s judgement the most, so she doesn’t jump to the “oh god Anri is a monster he can’t stay” conclusion like Takumi does.

* * *

_#q6: You've told us that the people of Valla worship Anankos, but are there any official religions in Nohr or Hoshido? Do they worship the Dusk and Dawn dragons, or Anankos by another name, or something else entirely?_

_\- Anonymous_

I never really put a label on what religions are practiced in this world, nor do i ever believe I really can because I’m not familiar with discussing religion in general. But I think religion greatly affects how people interact with people of other beliefs and also their general attitude about things, so we can discuss how important figures impacted the attitudes of people.

**Anankos’ Judgment**

Everyone on the continent of Quirinus knows about Anankos as the Father Dragon, the progenitor of the royal families of both the east and west lands. In mythology, he’s not as featured strongly like Dion and Kleo, who actually physically walked the earth. He’s seen as a figure of truth and judgment since he sees and hears all, and also is the guy who ultimately decided that Vallites could no longer live on the surface because of the cruelty of humanity.

There’s a split on what happens next after Anankos called back the Vallites (or killed the ones who refused to come home). Some parts on both sides of the mountains believed that he would return and along with him the Vallites who were so revered in the past. Examples include the Cult of Kleo, and a Hoshidan majority.

The mindset for Hoshidans could be this way because they weren’t as heavily affected by the calamity that killed surface dwelling Vallites. Compared to Nohr, they’re still thriving, so they didn’t get put in the situation where they had to give up on waiting and hoping. Some likely believed that Anankos favored them the most compared to Nohr (who they thought must have been worse than them because they were punished the most), so they hold a great amount of respect for Anankos. This leads to the “keeping and preserving tradition” attitude that still persists in Hoshidan society by the time of the story.

Meanwhile the other side of the argument is that “Father Dragon isn’t coming back, stop hanging onto the past, just live like he would have wanted us to.” This sort of school of thought is more strongly attributed in the west lands, who were devastated by the calamity. Some think they deserved the punishment and some don’t think was fair, but there is a general consensus that people need to act on their own accord and not depend so strongly on others. This is a mindset shared by many Nohrians, but also some small parts of Hoshido as well (The Fire Tribe, Mokushu, Kohga, the Amachis, etc).

Despite the obvious wish to distance themselves from the Father Dragon, there’s still some respect to old traditions involving Anankos, such as funeral traditions, holidays, and royal birth ceremonies.

**The Dusk Dragon Kleo**

Out of the two founders, people tend to see Kleo as the more badass one because she’s the one who’s getting into battle, and even died a warrior. She was also feared for her unstoppable army. In some way, because Nohrians have a “forget Anankos’ assdickery and move on” attitude, they look up more to Kleo than Anankos himself. Anankos is too distant of a figure for them, so you’ll find Nohrians directly worshipping Kleo (and the royal family descended from her) than Anankos.

Since she, too, was a glory seeker, so are a majority of Nohr. There’s lots of references and idioms in Nohrian literate and language that are attributed to Kleo’s legends, and it’s built the strongly competitive atmosphere in Nohr we see today. It’s nice because it’s what’s kept Nohr strong today, but competitiveness means someone’s gotta lose, and there are many who have lost their lives, history, and culture.

**The Dawn Dragon Dion**

Considered the more laid back of the two, Dion appears more often as a wise sage to various Hoshidan heroes. He doesn’t take an active role in a lot of Hoshidan legends like Kleo does over in the west, but he often provides guidance to famous figures in ancient Hoshidan history.

He’s also known to be a guy who never settles in one place so much there’s a famous saying for being noncommittal about him. I’m pretty sure at one point, some lucky lord snagged him as a strategist, but since Dion is such a flighty guy, he left as soon as he helped the guy win. The time he settles down, he puts his kingdom on an island away from the mainland because he was such a private guy, didn’t want to bargain with any Hoshidan lords for land. His own descendants would eventually become Hoshidan heroes themselves and be more involved in the shaping of Hoshido to the way it is today.

In some ways, his attitude has affected Hoshidan society in a way of being more laid back and not really looking for change, which is nice, but can also turn into complacency. He’s seen more as a tangible person compared to Kleo, and because of the more favorable impression of Anankos, who is directly worshiped in Hoshido compared to Nohr. People know him better as a strategist and philosopher.

* * *

_#q7: What holidays are celebrated in Nohr?_

_\- Anonymous_

Plenty of them. Although most of them are probably going to be western holidays with a totally different paint and context slapped on them.

There’s a day specifically for celebrating a good harvest in autumn, which is the setting for the actual Nohrian Festival of Bonds DLC, and it’s become that one day in the year where people feast without worrying about saving up food.

Nohr also celebrates the new year with some fantastic magic displays throughout the city. The city would be always away for three days straight with all sorts of festivities. It’s also a day for people to make their feelings known, so many a couple have gotten engaged on one of these three days.

There’s also a special day in the year where a certain blue star, the Cor Corrinna, is at its brightest, and it’s the day of giving gifts and expressing thanks for one’s neighbor. It’s speculated to be the day when Thalassa, the first Vallite priestess, set foot on the continent of Quirinus.

Nohr also has its days to honor the fallen soldiers and rulers. There’s one in the middle of the winter for the great Dusk Dragon Kleo, for she had met her end in the middle of battle. There’s another day that’s becoming more practiced, and it’s for King Hugo, Garon’s brother and the previous king of Nohr.

* * *

_#q8: How would the nobility/royalty of Hoshido and Nohr introduce themselves?_

_- Anonymous_

How, like when they appear at some formal ceremony?

It’d be pretty typical, like Nohrian royalty have a servant or retainer announce their arrival before they enter the room for formal functions. When they introduce their names, they’d likely say their full name and house. Additional titles are usually ignored bc most times in Nohr people like to get things done and over with.

Hoshidan royalty would be similar but a bit more showy, so special titles would be included in their introduction by a servant announcing their arrival, accompanied by a set of court musicians hand selected by the royal family or trusted friends.

* * *

_#q9: Will we see any Dark Falcons? I know they are DLC, but they are treated as a Nohrian class in Fates. If so, which house/province will they come from?_

_\- Anonymous_

Probably not. I used to have Shigure be a Dark Falcon when he was still going to be included in the AU since Azura will be in Nohr for a majority of the story and the timeline was supposed have stretched out for much longer in a sort of Genealogy style. Since Shigure has been decided to be be born after the events of the AU, Dark Falcons aren’t going to be present in this AU.

Although honestly, I’d imagine it’s something that would happen after Hoshido and Nohr are at peace again, so House Minett would get their hands on some nice looking pegasus and actually have something they specialize in for once. And I guess I sorta imagine Ornella (An OC daughter for Xander bc he can have multiple consorts), would have that as her secondary class.

* * *

_#q10: Where did Arete and Mikoto state to be from? I assume they didn't tell the public of their Vallite origins._

_\- Anonymous_

Mikoto lived among the Wind Tribe for a while because she wanted to stay close to one of the few surviving Vallite shrines, but she was mostly known for just being a fantastic healer. She used to say she was from Izumo, which often prided itself for “replicating” healing arts similar to Vallite priestesses.

Arete was less open about her abilities and instead was a dancer and singer, using her magic-infused songs to attract the patronage of nobles who would feel oddly relieved of their pain and illnesses after hearing a song from her. She worked in between Janholt and Esterlyn. She was recommended by countless nobles to come to Westerstede and perform there, and she charmed the king quite easily.

* * *

_#q11: Are there any renowned regiments within the Hoshidan and Nohrian armies?_

_\- Anonymous_

Of course there are famed groups who are known to be the best in battles or doing legendary things. They both got the best squads.

Nohr

  * The Valkyries (Camilla, Beruka, Selena, Nelly, Bellatrix, Roswitha, and more): Basically a bunch of Wyvern Knights, Malig Knights, and Bow Knights who were pretty much unbeatable. They didn’t often come out as one group because gathering them all is really hard. A Wyvern Knight named Bellatrix is the leader, but when Camilla, Rose, and Nelly join in, she defers to them. They are known for training to work with Rose and Camilla’s Dragon Veins and just tearing up the field.
  * Twin Lunas (Nelly, Damian): Pretty much the biggest battle couple. I’d call them Triple Lunas bc Sloane often is with them, but he’s not built for speed like the other two and often ends up in the back. This is combined with Damian’s entire squad, a highly revered group who have received honors from the king.
  * Gunter, who is known to be a really good knight, had his own squad that’s plain legendary. They came to prominence during the Nohrian Civil War, and they continue to kick ass today, now led by Dennis. They and war go way back.
  * General Duncan of Albrand’s regiment was also a very well known one mostly for their consistency. Also a very family-oriented group bc Duncan was a very kind man who treated his men like brothers and sisters compared to other generals. However, they were soundly defeated in Notre Sagesse by Hinoka when Silas didn’t come with reinforcements.
  * Odelia leads a regiment that can rival the Valkyries in just doing wild stunts that actually work on the field. She may not have Dragon Veins but she’s got lines and lines of cavalry soldiers.



Hoshido

  * The Azure Serpents - Consists of a lot of Hiromi soldiers, and are renowned for being pretty brutal and successful under the guidance of Ichiro Hiromi, one of the top royal strategists.
  * Scarlet Regiment - There are many famous regiments under the Sky Knight Corps alone, but the most well known at the present time is the Scarlet Regiment led by Yumiko Amachi and Reina Chiura. Reina’s bloodthrist and Yumiko’s sadism is a pretty scary combination.
  * Thunder and Lightning - Souji and Sumeragi’s squad back in the day, now led by Isamu and Ryoma (with Takumi as a third in command). They are best known like the Valkyries for doing crazy stunts with Dragon Veins
  * The Ishiyamas are the super extra but super badass group who bring goddamn drums to their battles as they kick ass. They’re also very good at endurance and are famed for surviving the Valkyries’ charge more than once.



* * *

_#q12: The Wolfskin and Kitsune, are they a province/domain themselves, if so, do they follow the standard noble family protocol?_

_\- Anonymous_

Neither groups have a province/domain that’s officially part of the kingdom, mostly because they’re very isolated and they don’t make their presence known in Nohrian/Hoshidan societies very often out of fear of being hunted for their furs. The Buelens and the Chiuras have infamously tried to hunt the Wolfskins and Kitsune’s respectively. There has been word that the Minetts and Inazumas are trying to mend relations, with little success.

* * *

_#q13: In your explanation of necromancy, you mentioned that Vallites were connected to Anankos as dragons and priestesses were connected to him all the time. Can you elaborate by what you mean by this?_

_\- Anonymous_

This comes from the phrase I use often about Vallite priestesses: “They are the eyes and ears of the Father Dragon.”

Before, when I wanted to try to preserve the whole “can’t talk about Valla outside of Valla” rule, I changed it so that Anankos can see the world through their eyes and therefore holds omniscience in this manner. It would have been why Azura is reluctant to be open about Valla, because if she did say it out loud, Anankos would find her and kill her like he did her mother. And by killing, that would mean the wonderful act of turning into sea and foam.

But after a while, I thought it convoluted the plot too much, so I changed it to just having a spiritual connection, and therefore access to Anankos’ wide variety of powers, such as advanced waterbending, healing, and most importantly, necromancy. They pay him with worship, and he returns to them cool superpowers. Azura, in this case, doesn’t speak much about Valla because her plans are too out there and involves killing Anri a few times and bringing him back.

* * *

_#q14: So Arete died before the Durand Massacre, was Azura already kidnapped by then or no? Also did if Azura was still there, did Liselotte take the opportunity to throw some shade at Azura for that?_

_\- Anonymous_

Nope, Azura was kidnapped after Arete’s death and had a full year without her mother’s protection. Which sounds like ample time for horrible things to happen to her, but Damian was at her defence most of the time, even trying to arrange for his stepmother Seraphina to consider taking Azura in as part of the Minett household. Those plans never really came true after Azura was stolen away.

Although honestly, Liselotte has been throwing shade at Azura ever since they met. Not really much different now that her mom is dead.

* * *

_#q15: How would Katerina have gotten along with all of the other consorts, assuming she'd lived long enough to meet them all?_

_\- Anonymous_

She’d probably make it clear she’s the head honcho lol. She’d probably patch things up with Theresa, but I don’t think Garon would marry many of the other consorts had Katerina lived, so she’d likely not have met them all. Maybe she might have an issue with Irma and Seraphina’s ambitions. But had Katerina lived, they would have likely lived longer lives however. It’s not her style to start fights so openly in the courts.

* * *

  _#q16: Wait, the Dawn and Dusk dragons are siblings, right? If so, does that make the royal families of both nations really distant relatives?_

_\- Anonymous_

I dance around that issue a lot, and will probably continue to do so because it would make sense to be confusing. Kleo and Dion are said to be “Daughter” and “Son” of Valla. Meaning they carry Vallite blood. Some recounts of the origins of the Dawn and Dusk Dragon would probably be a mix between “they were blood siblings” or “they were the two strongest people selected to go out into the world”. They are often said to look very different from each other, but that hasn’t stopped any two people from being siblings.

Sometimes, Vallites address each other as brother or sister, since they all are considered the Children of Valla, all those who collectively descend from Anankos and are able to use Dragon Veins or turn into a dragon, thus having a connection to Anankos. They worship Anankos as the paternal god figure, which is why they address him as “Father” or “The Father Dragon”. When the main cast inevitably arrives in Valla, the royal siblings will too be addressed as “sons and daughters of Valla”. English sucks at making distinctions between these things (unless I add more extra titles but that would be pretentious), but I’m sure in the Vallite language there would be separate words for “an actual blood sibling” and “someone from the same country as me”.

So it would be a stretch to say Kleo and Dion are actual siblings… But I don’t think it’s particularly that important after what, fifty something generations?

TL;DR: Hell if I know, because it’s much more amusing to have scholars in all of Quirinus argue about this for centuries to come.

* * *

  _#q17: You've played Fire Emblem Echoes right? How about what class would the royals be based on the classes of Echoes?_

_\- Anonymous_

Yes, and I really loved it. Y’all don’t mind some Overclasses, do you?

  1. Xander - Skogul
  2. Ryoma - Conquerer
  3. Diantha - Saint
  4. Marius - Paladin
  5. Jeremiah - Sage
  6. Damian - Gold Knight
  7. Thomas - Knight
  8. Roswitha - Bow Knight
  9. Camilla - Harrier
  10. Hinoka - Falcon Knight
  11. Liselotte - Enchantress
  12. Azura - Exemplar
  13. Mila - Dread Fighter
  14. Anri - Princess, uh, I mean Hero
  15. Takumi - Bow Knight
  16. Leo - Guru
  17. Sakura - Cleric
  18. Elise - Cleric



* * *

  _#q18: How does the pointy ear trait work? Anri has them, but not his mother. Azura doesn't have them, but her father does._

_\- Anonymous_

I was supposed to give Mikoto pointy ears, too, but I only did it for her Vallite sprites because I’m lazy as hell. Also I wouldn’t be surprised if she tried hiding her true appearance once she ascended to the Hoshidan throne. (Vallite priestesses are good at illusions in this AU).

If we’re going to talk really old (and probably outdated) inheritance, then Mikoto had carried the recessive trait. Sumeragi would then just happen to be a carrier, which in all honesty should be next to impossible after this many generations (I assume this came from Dion, or if Hoshidan royalty had married other Vallites during the golden age when Vallites were still around). Anri would have pretty fair chance of getting pointy ears in this case.

* * *

  _#q19: Does the Vallite's voice have power, or is the song itself? Cause if it's the song, can anyone use it's power?_

_\- Anonymous_

The song has power because they are given Anankos’ blessings, but their power can only be wielded by those who have taken the vow of the Vallite priestess. So to put it simply, the song has power only if it’s sung by a Vallite priestess (not just any Vallite either)

* * *

  _#q20: How come Anri never took up a mount like his siblings?_

_\- Anonymous_

"Why would I want anything with a mind of its own bobbing about between my legs?" - Sherlock Holmes, A Game of Shadows (2011)

Now, now, he’s not the only one who doesn’t have one. Jerry never had one to ride into battle, either. Although honestly, he probably has a horse, just not one for riding into battle. Hell, I’d almost think that he just considers Shabrang (Damian’s old battle horse) to be his own horse because Leo can’t ride it all the time.

Or maybe he just prefers to be ridden.

* * *

  _#q21: If the resistance in Cheve managed to win, what would've happened to Nohr? What would it mean for Anri if he had failed?_

_\- Anonymous_

If the Chevois Resistance did succeed in defeating Anri and Hans in their final battle, Anri would have been forced to accept defeat and withdraw, and Hans probably wouldn’t have backed down and gotten killed. Anri would have faced some sort of punishment one way or another, perhaps he’d be permanently grounded, like stuck at camp for the most part or follow King Garon around, or stuck in Fallmount for even longer because he has to take responsibility for what happened.

Nohr would probably have been in crisis mode if the Hoshidans managed to gain a stronghold in Fallmount that recently declared itself as its own country (with Cheve likely as its new capital). Also with the lurking discord among the provinces, some such as Janholt and Vandale may be encouraged to break away from Nohr and cause even more strife.

* * *

  _#q22: So Anri is dead...what, how, who, when, where, why?_

_\- Anonymous_

Spoilers? Well, I write out of order anyways, so idk if that matters.

**What**? Yes, he’s been undead since the beginning of the story. Vallite priestesses can control the dead through song because Anankos can, and it’s been a thing they can do since the beginning of time. It’s why they were sought after so much that Anankos shut off Valla to prevent the people in Quirinus from abusing them. Anankos and Azura have been fighting over who’s controlling Anri by killing him and bringing him back a lot. Anankos likes full control over his victims, and Azura is “ethical” by giving hers some autonomy.

**How**? On top of being stabbed and strangled, he’s been “exorcised”. Them Vallite songs ain’t so cute now, are they?

**When**? What do you suppose happened to him when he was captured by Garon in the first place? Of course Gunter and the Nohrian siblings happened on him by chance, so he hasn’t died a lot after that.

**Where**? Chapter 5, Chapter 13, will die a few more times in the story, too. He’s probably died a couple times prior to the beginning of the story, too.

**Why**? Because Anankos probably wants another Vallite body to jump into (Azura’s dad’s body is probably beginning to rot). Mikoto has been against him for a while, so he takes Anri out of spite.

Azura needs a backup plan in case she fucks up (or in case Anri doesn’t do what she wants). She cares about keeping her siblings happy, which is why she brought him back in Chapter 5.

It’s no wonder Anri is pissed off at Azura when shit happens in Chapter 15.

* * *

  _#q23: Azura's Dad's body is rotting? Does that mean Anri's body is gonna rot too, or does his dragon-ness prevent that? Speaking of which, does he even age anymore? Sorry, so many questions_

_\- Anonymous_

Well, this is a bit complex when I came up with it, so questions are always welcome.

Hesiod’s body is decaying because Anankos is inhabiting his body, and the body is rejecting Anankos’ soul. Anri has been fine and has been able to age like a normal boy (despite all the jokes about his height) because Anankos and Azura are constantly plucking Anri’s soul out and putting it back in while under their own control.

The Dragon form is something any Vallite can do since they’re close descendants of Anankos and therefore look like him, with the exception of water maidens, who give up that part of themselves to become “part of Anankos”.

* * *

  _#q24: So how did Daniela manage to escape the massacre of Durand?_

_\- Anonymous_

Considering who she used to work for, it wouldn’t be a surprised that person requested that she be spared. Unfortunately her sister did not get the same treatment.

* * *

  _#q25: Do you see Sakura and Elise forming romantic relationships with anyone in the future?_

_\- Anonymous_

I think both Sakura has potential S-Supports that can be explored (she’s 16). But I don’t think she’ll be getting into the topic of marriage in this story, since she has problems to solve first.

Elise is around 13 in this story, so it’s too soon to say she’ll express romantic interest in anyone. She, too, has her own story that comes first before romance, so I don’t think we should expect her to get married at any point in this story. She’ll probably engage in matchmaking for other people instead.

* * *

  _#q26: Oh if Lady Gabrielle survive the poison and did conceive a child for Garon, what will the child's gender be, the name of the child and the class?_

_\- Anonymous_

Gabby’s always wanted a daughter, and she and Katerina entertained the idea of naming the child Freya, the name of an old Nohrian queen. Garon often said that was a bit too on the nose, but promised anyway that should their child be born, she would be named so.

* * *

  _#q27: Did anyone every think Elise shared the same mother as Azura because she has blue streaks in her hair?_

_\- Anonymous_

Elise’s streaks are actually lavender and aren’t natural, as she has canonically stated that she dyed them that way to emulate her sister Camilla more:

> But you’re so strong and grown up and beautiful! You’re the whole package! I want to be more like a real lady. More like you. Even if only a little. Look! I even dyed some of my hair to be the same color as yours! Heehee.

Also, it’s no mystery that Elise is Yvonne’s daughter, so there isn’t anyone who thought that Elise and Azura were direct sisters. Yvonne also joined the consorts after Arete, Azura’s mother, died. So, yeah, not easy to mix up.


	33. Questionable Decision: Weapons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Why the Fuujin Yumi and Brynhildr are no longer plot relevant. Also why the Yato does not exist, either.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have not posted this here, so I will now. It's really old tho so I sound a lot like I'm venting.

If anyone’s ever read enough of the work, they’ll notice the small notes where I said that the Brynhildr and Fuujin Yumi were downgraded from status of plot relevant weapons and the Yato no longer exists. This means only the Siegfried and the Raijinto have ties to Valla and therefore the main story. Brynhildr is from a major Nohrian myth (vaguely made from Vallite hands but not of same origin as the Siegfried), and the Fuujin Yumi is the name Takumi calls his personally commissioned bow. Camilla, Elise, Hinoka, and Sakura don’t get special legendary weapons to compensate. The Fire Emblem itself, which was the Yato in the original game, will be something else. Before anyone takes out their pitchforks in defense of their sisters and little brothers, I’d like to lay down my thought process on this.

Like many people who’ve seen the story for Fire Emblem Fates, I, too, have noticed the obvious disparity in distribution of personal royal weapons among the royal children. The boys get all the wonderful toys, and unless you play as a female Corrin, the girls didn’t have any weapons of their own (or they were the named weapons in the game like Camilla’s Axe and stuff). That really sucks, and I wanted to address that issue somehow.

I decided on eliminating the Yato from the story because like many people, I’m tired of the “chosen one” kind of plots, and not being destined to bring peace or whatever makes a different conflict for Anri because he won’t get a free ticket to solve his issues. He already has his dragon form and weird “undead” status, but even those two aspects aren’t exclusive to him to begin with. I’ll discuss this in further detail in another post all about Anri’s different role. The main focus is the sibling weapons.

There were at least two ways I could go about doing this:

  1. The boys keep their weapons, but the girls get their own personal ones, too, all tied to the precious metals that Kleo and Dion brought with them from Valla. Hinoka gets some special lance, Camilla, an axe, and the younger girls get some special healing/support rod of some kind.
  2. Restrict the number of weapons only to the firstborns in the family. The girls won’t get “divine” weapons, but neither do the boys who aren’t the eldest ones, and it’s fair because Nohr and Hoshido have only one special sword of their own.



There are plenty more ways to resolve this issue, but I liked these two the most. Both are reasonable ideas, but I went with option 2 rather than option 1. Why?

I’ll admit, it’s personal preferences, because option 1 tends to bring up bad memories for me. Kinda like how I don’t like naming my protagonists certain names because people I’ve known in real life with such names have been jerks to me (I won’t share what those names. Ever). Petty, I know.

Also, if I made special weapons for everyone, that would probably mean the deceased siblings would need some special weapons of their own as well. If the Nohrian family had only four special weapons, then it’s going to feel like “wow we got too many family members, gotta cut it down to four people so now everyone can stop fighting bc now no one’s missing out on a MacGuffin,” which can descend into shallow villain territory, and I’d like to avoid that.

One of my least favorite tropes commonly found in the shonen anime I’ve watched is that thing where every single person has a “special” ability. In some cases, it can work! But in the context of a story involving a “chosen one” who saves the world because they would be the only powerful person to defeat the big bad? Not much of a problem when everyone and their grandma has a personal weapon that’s “legendary”. This brings down everyone’s value so no one is special. Being a so called “chosen one” begins to lose its meaning.

Saying 5 weapons is too much is pushing it and probably sounds like unnecessary whining on my part. And yes, Fire Emblem has done the story of multiple divine weapons before, so why don’t I just go ahead and do a plot like the previous Fire Emblem games? I don’t know, maybe I’ve seen that plot done a ton of times, so I wanted to do something else? There’s nothing wrong with that, right?

So, by keeping only the Raijinto and the Siegfried, I avoid the issue of this “special snowflake syndrome” I despise for settings like these, I and also keep the plot grounded and less of a “collect them all” plot, another plot I’m not too fond of. Because how many times have we seen this already as well? Sure, having the Yato glow and change shape is fun and all, but what did it serve other than being Corrin’s identification tag? A lot of the time the Yato felt like an excuse for other factions to drop their weapons and call it quits because some coincidentally, absolutely true prophecy said that collecting these special weapons is more important than resolving the obvious problems going on within and between the two kingdoms. Raijinto, Siegfried, Fuujin Yumi, Brynhildr, and Azura’s pendant, all of which are significant objects, are left out of the spotlight.

Perhaps my changes are going to break the coherence of the game because I’m inadvertently erasing the ties to some mythology the games’ weapons are based off (I’m already accidentally erasing the ties between Rajin and Fuujin by denying the Fuujin Yumi its divine status, feel free to berate me on that). Maybe I’m betraying everything that there is about Fire Emblem by doing this. But like I said before, I don’t want to make the story suffer for the sake of adhering to its sources of inspiration.

[bluegrasscountry](https://bluegrasscountry.tumblr.com/) replied to your post [“Questionable Executive Decision: Weapons”](http://iasfuturekings.tumblr.com/post/159043155361/questionable-executive-decision-weapons)

> I actually rather agree with you on this desicion. Fire emblem has done the chosen one plot line before but I gotta say that fates does it in a pretty obnoxious way. Plus it bugged me how fates had like three legendary swords and two other legendary weapons that had no real parallel between them. Limiting it to two swords just feels better.

Thank you. I sometimes wonder if they had Brynhildr and Siegfried as a substitute for each other, like if you weren’t good with swords, you’re likely to be better with tomes, so we got something for everyone. Or maybe everyone used to be friends so we had a power of five but then stuff happened (idk Anankos went crazy), so everything got messed up. Ah well, IntSys isn’t about to tell me anytime soon.

I agree that IntSys has a habit of recycling their plots, for better or for worse. Even the Nohr vs Hoshido conflict itself isn’t all that new. I nearly spit my drink out when I saw the preview for Shadows of Valentia because wow, isn’t that setting similar to Fire Emblem Fates, just without the Valla twist? And then they started talking about two sibling gods, and I was like “shit, that’s what I came up with”, but then again Fates hardly talked about the Dusk and Dawn Dragon, which is kind of a shame.


End file.
